André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Defending Burger King/Reggae Marathon Grand Prix champions Shawn Pitter and Marleena Eubanks were put to the sword in the lead off Montego Bay 7k event, losing to Kirk Brown and Monifa Green, respectively, on Sunday.

Pitter, who entered the competition in high spirits and with high expectations of reclaiming his title, was brought down to earth following Brown's heel to the finish line, the latter posting a winning time of 22.29, with Pitter stopping the clock at 22.41 in the race for overall male winner.

Damion Bent was third in 22.47, with Lorenzo Wedderburn, 23.52, and Kevin Campbell, 24.16, rounding out the top-five male finishers. Some 285 participants completed the course.

Among the females, Hydel's Monifa Green, who finished 71st overall, was the first in her category to cross the line, getting the better of the Edwin Allen pair of Eubanks and Asshanni Robb, who finished 81st and 83rd overall.

impressive time

Green posted 29.17 for her win, with Eubanks finishing second in 30.08 and Robb crossing the line in 30.12.

In the school championships, St Jago emerged on top after their team of Rushawn Johnson, who finished second in the high school teams category, Larone Haye (fourth), Rohan Simms (seventh), Cavahn McKenzie (eighth) and Shavanise Robinson (10th) tallied 31 points to finish ahead of Bellefield (54) and Edwin Allen (64).

The Edwin Allen team of Eubanks, Robb, Cidella Shimmonds (fourth), Teresha Jacobs (12th) and Oneicia Walters (13th) were the best among the females with a 34-point tally, beating St Jago (41) and Hydel (66) to top spot.

In the 10-12 age group category, St Jago's Navasky Anderson got the win in 29.32 among male competitors, while his schoolmate, Kris-Ann Lewis, was first among the females in 33.13.

Tion Grey, 33.13, (Petersfield) won the boys 13-15 age group with Green, 29.17 taking the corresponding female category.

The 16-19 boys category was won by Bellefield's Nambhard Palmer in 24.45, with Eubanks finishing first among females.

Kirk Brown, 22.29 and Juliet Dinnal, 31.32 won the respective male and female 20-29 age group; Kevin Campbell, 24.16 and Arieta Martin, 32.18 winning the 30-39 category; Horace Burey, 26.43 and Karlene Blagrove, 31.43 (40-49); Kenneth Duffus, 30.44 and Jeanette Clarke (50-59) and Denzil Lewis, 38.39 winning the 60 and over category.

The series will continue on November 11 with the Portmore 10k, with the December 1 Reggae Marathon wrapping up the grand prix, which offers a top prize of $40,000 for the overall male and female winners at the end of the circuit.