media_artricles :: 2015

Save the Children Fund Walk/Run on tomorrow

HUNDREDS OF fitness enthusiasts and concerned citizens are expected to converge on the Queen’s Park Savannah in the vicinity of the TGI Fridays restaurant tomorrow, for the purpose of participating in the TT Newsday Save the Children Fund 5K and 10K Challenge road events.

The event, now into its 12th year, is now a staple on the local road-running calendar and promises to produce yet another enthralling contest among the country’s top road-runners for fans and families on the Republic Day holiday.

And while the runners will enjoy the competition, look to improve on their times and seek a share of the up to $35,000 in prizes, the Challenge will also serve a more critical purpose. It is designed to raise funds to help the country’s disadvantaged children, and all proceeds will go towards the fund.

Before the events, trained instructors will conduct a warming up exercise on the adjoining Savannah for those who wish to participate.

Meanwhile, families wishing just to look on will have many vantage points from which they can take in the action. The 5K race/walk will start outside TGI Fridays, take the participants along the Savannah, then on to Serpentine Road, turning back at Elizabeth Street and back on to Serpentine Road and the Savannah, ending at the starting point.

The 10K run will start at the same point, but the runners will turn south onto Cipriani Boulevard and along Tragarete Road, past the Roxy Roundabout and along the Western Main Road in St James. They will turn at the St James Link Road onto Mucurapo Road, then onto Roberts and French Streets and along Maraval Road to the Savannah and back to the start.

Among the top athletes expected to face the starter at 3pm tomorrow will be defending champions Kelvin Johnson and Samantha Shukla. Johnson won the men’s Open title in a time of 15 minutes, 59 seconds; Lionel Dandrade ran a close second to Johnson last year, and he will be hoping to go one better this time around.

But there is more at stake for Johnson, who also won the event in 2013; he is expected to return tomorrow in hopes of completing of a hat-trick of wins in Open division. Shukla won the 2014 women’s category in 18 minutes, 39 seconds, with Dawnell Collymore and Shania Francis rounding out the top three.

The Challenge will be hosted by entertainers “Tim Tim” and “Zuki;” and there will be many side attractions on the day geared towards making the event an enjoyable experience for families and especially children. Aside from a bouncy castle, an obstacle course, a basketball hoop, a rock wall and slides, the first 200 kids to arrive at the start will be treated to free popcorn, cotton candy and balloons.

Registration is ongoing and will continue on the day of the event; the cost (individually) is $50 for the 5K and $60 for the 10K; however, groups of ten will pay only $300 for the 5K and $400 for the longer distance.

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