(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Fifth Staging of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) 10K Road Race was launched in Georgetown, Guyana on Friday, June 5, 2009.
As the Region intensifies its efforts to tackle Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), under the Port of Spain Declaration on Uniting in the fight against NCDs, this event, scheduled for June 28, 2009, will be used as a platform to promote activities which could bolster health and wellness among CARICOM nationals.
The CARICOM’s 10K Road Race has become an annual feature on Community’s Calendar of Activities, since the inaugural staging in Saint Lucia on 3 July 2005, before the opening of the Twenty-Sixth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM.
The Race is open to professional and amateur athletes from across the Region. As a special feature, places will be reserved for the participation of differently-abled CARICOM nationals; school-aged children up to age 16; and non-CARICOM nationals, including tourists and other categories of visitors to Guyana.
The youth and the differently-abled CARICOM Nationals will participate in a 5K Race rather than the 10K.
The first to third place winners among the professional Regional athletes will receive monetary prizes ranging from US $1200 to US$700. Other participants will receive other prizes. Prizes and trophies will be presented to the winners during the opening ceremony of the Thirtieth Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government, July 2, 2009, Georgetown, Guyana.
The event is being coordinated by the CARICOM Secretariat in collaboration with Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Guyana and the Guyana Amateur Athletic Association. Among the professional athletes whose participation are already confirmed are Cleveland Forde, and Alika Morgan. Forde and Morgan are Guyana’s male and female junior sports persons for 2008. Morgan is the Regional 10K Race defending female champion.
The CARICOM 10K Road Race usually precedes the Regular Heads of Government Summit. It was previously held in Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda.
