media_artricles :: 2015

Jehue for Air Bon Sonics 5k

Some of T&T’s and the Caribbean’s top runners including World Champion hurdler Jehue Gordon, will face the starter’s gun for today’s staging of the Air Bon Sonics Athletics Club annual 5K Road Race from Beckles Street in Arima to the Bonair Savannah from 4 pm.

Gordon has been recuperating from a minor surgery he had recently. The race is expected to be his first real test since that surgery and will jump-start his preparation ahead of next year’s Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

Apart from Gordon the defending men’s champion Kelvin Johnson of Guyana will also be there as well as veteran middle distance running king Pamenos Ballantyne of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Curtis Cox of T&T, Richard Jones, Brian Maynard and a number of Kenyan runners who are normally here to participate at the T&T International Marathon and the UWI Spec International Half Marathon.

Tonya Nero, who won among the females the last time the race was held in 2013, will also be back to defend her crown.

The race is being held to give back to the community of Bon Air where the club is from as well as the athletic community. It has been held for the past 10 years and this year’s edition has seen a number of sponsors such as Caribbean Airlines, the Unit Trust Corporation, the National Association of Athletic Administration (NAAA) and the Sport Company of T&T.

Earle Bourne, the club’s founder explained that the race is aimed at helping to prepare athletes in the athletic community.

“I know that athletes are always in need of events to help them prepare for local, regional and international events so hence the reason we are holding this race.”

Like in previous years, the winner in both the male and female categories will walk away with a cheque for $1,500 and a medal. Second, third, fourth and fifth will receive $1,000, $700, $500 and $400, respectively, along with a medal each.

However, Bourne explained yesterday that there has been some concerns from local runners that the international runners have been winning all the prizes and as such a special incentive has been set aside for T&T runners taking part in the race.

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