media_artricles :: 2016

Cox, Nero crowned Nestle 5K champs

More than 5000 people and as many as 3000 participants attended the Nestlé Health Fair and 5K 2016 held at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, yesterday.

Curtis Cox and Tonya Nero were the first male and female marathon participants to cross the finish line for this year's 5K.

Cox, 48-years-old, stopped the clock at 15 minutes 36 seconds ahead of 36-year-old Lionel Dandrade in 15 minutes and 47 seconds.

Collin Pereira came third in 15:53.

Nero, 27-year-old, was fifth overall but easily topped the women's division in 17 minutes 20 seconds. In second was Lindsay Mies (19:46) followed by Dawnel Collymore (20:28).

Nestlé, celebrating 150 years of "Good Food, Good Life", hosted their 4th Annual Health Fair and 5K with this year's focus being on childhood obesity.

Nestlé, in their continued efforts to battle non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, are this year focusing on the youth, and helping to inform and teach the youth about the importance of health, exercise and fitness so that they can grow into a healthier and fitter future.

The day's activities commenced with the Health Fair, renamed the "Nestlé FitFest Village," which is an area made up of different interactive booths that provide participants with a wealth of information about keeping themselves fit and healthy. Free health tests including Body Mass Index, blood pressure, Sugar Level, breast and eye exams were available for participants to take part in. Fitness and dental demonstrations were also conducted at the FitFest Village as well as Nestlé product sampling. A pre-marathon aerobic burnout and post-marathon cooldown were also organised for the marathon participants to warm-up and cooldown before and after the 5K run.

Also at the Nestlé FitFest Village, Milo launched the Milo Jumpstart Programme. Rae-Ann Clement-Harper, Senior Consumer Marketing Manager at Nestlé Trinidad and Tobago Limited, says that Milo Jumpstart is an initiative to help the youth of Trinidad and Tobago to become healthy and successful; to teach children that fitness can be fun and promote the many benefits that are associated with participation in sport.

The Milo Jumpstart Programme has already been launched in other markets throughout the Caribbean such as St Vincent, Barbados, Guyana and Belize, and they are now looking to establish the programme in Trinidad and Tobago.

Speaking at the Nestlé FitFest Village, Consumer Marketing Manager of Milo, Geysha Thomas- Davis states that Milo Jumpstart is a series of sport and nutrition clinics that cater to youths aged six to sixteen, as well as their parents. The aim of the clinic is to teach children the importance of proper nutrition, exercise and team-oriented learning in a fun and exciting environment. She adds that Milo Jumpstart focuses on proper nutrition, exercise, team-oriented learning and academics through the activities done at the Milo Jumpstart Programme and assists in preparing the youth for healthy living now and for the future.

Milo Jumpstart consists of a 50 x 50 foot zone where children that attended were given the opportunity to get active and take part in sports such as football, basketball and aerobic activities and, with the assistance of trained coaches, develop their agility, balance and coordination.

Nestlé, along with Milo, had the ribbon cutting and launch of the Milo Jumpstart Programme that took place at the Health Fair before the start of the 5K marathon.

This will be the first of many zones that will appear across Trinidad and Tobago throughout the rest of the year as Nestlé and Milo continue their fight against child obesity.

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