NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Kemoy Campbell, Natoya Goule and Kirk Brown successfully defended their titles at the ninth renewal of the Reggae Marathon events yesterday.

In the marathon event, Terri Rejimbal returned to winning ways after her absence last year to take the female section. Stacey Bell and Rupert Green were the other winners who stepped up a notch after being runners-up last year in the half and men’s marathon events.

Campbell ran ahead of the pack from the outset and at the turn, took a 50-metre lead from Lindsay and bettered his time by a tenth of a second to finish in 30 minutes 25 seconds, erasing the 30:35 he ran last year.

Daren Lindsay of Manchester High was second in 32:57.0 and Rogeek Williams of Edwin Allen third in the same time.

Manchester’s Natoya Goule, who took a break in the latter part of last season, did a PR in winning in 37:30.0, ahead of Dinthill’s Twishana Williams, 38:10.0, and Shevel McDonald, who was credited with the same time as they both dashed for the line ahead of Peterene Plummer, 38:11.0.

Campbell was pleased with his effort: “I trained hard and I’m very happy that I pushed myself hard and achieved what I came for. It paid off,” he said.

Goule said she faced many

personal challenges.

“At first I thought I couldn’t make it as I felt a pain in my stomach and I prayed and it went away. It was a pretty good race; it was challenging as the second-placed runner (Twishana) was with me and I pushed away from her at the turn and the other runner (McDonald) and I got home ahead of them,” she said.

Brown, of Ebony Track Club who was second last year, captured the half-marathon in 1:10.11.0 with Shawn Plummer credited with the same time after a keen sprint to the finish line. Gregory McKenzie was third in 1:10.31.

Bell of GC Foster College took the female half-marathon in 1:31. 05 ahead of Michelle Harburg of Washington in 1:32.41 and Ann Morie Shau, 1:40.01.

Brown was happy for the victory: “I had the flu for the last three days and it was difficult. I kept the pace and tried to get away for the last three miles but he (Shawn) got back at me and kept me going. I decided that I am the defending champion and I am not going to give it up and I defended my title successfully.”

Green won the marathon in 2:31.50 ahead of veteran Linton McKenzie (2:40.11) and Justin Henry (2:56.10).

Rejimbal of Tampa Florida returned to the top in 3:56.0 ahead of Elisabeth Mondon of Colorado, 3:10.10, and a limping Arieta Martin (last year’s winner), 3:35.44.