Richard Jones

BY CLYDEEN MC DONALD

Richard Jones ran away with the top prize in the men’s open category at the inaugural Public Services Association HIV/Aids Awareness 10k race which took place in the northern part of Port Of Spain yesterday.

Jones who completed his lap around the Queen’s Park Savannah in 11 minutes and six seconds then stayed with the pace for the rest of the course which took the field into Maraval via Saddle road, Long Circular road onto Tragarete road then onto the Cipriani Boulevard before finishing opposite Queen’s Royal College.

His total winning time was 32 minutes and 24 seconds.

Kelvin Johnson, Errol “Bald Head” Williams, Curtis Cox, and pre-race favourite Pamenos Ballantyne of St Vincent chased him from start to finish but were unable to defeat him on the day.

Johnson finished a close second in 32.44, while Lionel Dandrade was third in 33.00 minutes.

The top three were closely followed by Jules La Rode (33.55), Williams (34.44), Ballantyne (35.10) and Cox (35.22) as they took up the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh spots respectively.

Kerticha John top the women’s division when she finished the race in a time of 40 minutes and 24 seconds ahead of Christine Regis, who completed the race in (40.50), while Samantha Shukla was third in 44:58.