Francis: 2021 virtual Reggae Marathon a success

Describing the 2021 virtual Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K as a success, race director Alfred ‘Frano’ Francis says a total of 694 persons participated, up from 500 the previous year. The runners and walkers represented 20 countries.

According to Francis, more funds than in previous years were raised for Reggae Marathon’s charity partner, the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, with two students of Hillel Academy collecting US$800 for the organisation through the Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K’s fundraising portal. This, as marathoners worldwide also donated funds to the foundation.

Over the years, the largest participating group from the USA, the Reggae Runnerz, has raised funds for various charities in Negril, and last month was no different. Francis said Reggae Runnerz donated more than US$19,000 to the Green Island High School and more than US$8,500 for the Dawn’s Hope Foundation, set up to help patients fight metastatic breast cancer.

In expressing appreciation to Reggae Runnerz on behalf of Maxine Evans, principal, and the board of Green Island High School, coach Michael McIntosh said: “This latest donation speaks volumes to the support of Reggae Runnerz over the past six years since they have been travelling to Jamaica to participate in Reggae Marathon. We are grateful for this contribution, which will assist students to optimise their potential both academically and athletically.”

Reggae Runnerz brought a delegation of over 400 people to Negril to run along the pre-COVID Reggae Marathon route in Negril, so they could recapture the Jamaican experience as they have done since 2016.