media_artricles :: 2016

Fast times expected in Carifin 'One Lap'

Fitness enthusiasts from ten financial institutions will converge on the Queen's Park Savannah this afternoon to contest the Carifin Games "One Lap Savannah" run, which is by tradition the first competitive event in the annual series of road and cross-country races for employees in the local banking sector.

Organisers expect over 1,000 walkers and runners to participate; they will come from the Central Bank, First Citizens, RBC, Republic and Scotia banks, the Guardian Group, JMMB Group, Sagicor, the Unit Trust Corporation and first-time entrants ANSA Financial Services.

The One Lap Savannah will start at 5 p.m. opposite TGI Friday's; based on the 2015 results, the leading athletes are expected to cover the 2.28-mile circuit in about 14 minutes.

A new men's champions will be crowned today, as last year's winner Ryan O'Neal of the Guardian Group will not be competing.

O'Neal's winning time of 14 minutes, 28 seconds will be under threat from Jedidiah Benjamin of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and John Donaldson of First Citizens, who ran 2nd and 3rd respectively in 2016.

As part of his preparation for today's event, Donaldson ran in the Massy Foods 5K on Saturday last, and considers himself "reasonably race ready".

Donaldson ran second in the One Lap Savannah in both 2014 and 2015, producing times of 14:23 (a personal best) and 15:12 respectively.

In the women's category, Susan Russell will be defending her title; the RBC Bank employee covered the circuit in 17:41 last year to claim the women's crown.

However, Central Bank's Wendy D'Arbasie, the 2012 and 2013 CariFin Cross Country women's champion, has returned to competition after a two-year layoff and is reported to have posted a sub-16 minute time in training.

Other challenges could come from the Central Bank, who won the Carifin Games Torch Relay on April 2nd, and newcomers ANSA Financial Services, who were 2nd overall.

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