MAVIS Bank Running Club gave an impressive performance with their runners taking the top four positions in the male run category at the WATA/Nuttall Memorial Hospital Pre-Mother’s Day 5K Road Race yesterday.

Sixteen-year-old Garfield Gordon emerged champion of the male run section, while Karlene Blagrove crossed the finish line in 21:48 minutes ahead of the other female runners.

After his victory, Gordon said: “It was challenging with my teammates, but I still tried to lead them and come in first place. From I passed the stadium it was hills, but it was easy because I train on the hills. It (was) easy coming down Old Hope Road because it was downhill.”

Blagrove, who is no stranger to winning road races, said she came with a strategy to win. “It’s my first time on the route. The first 3K was a bit challenging, but after that it was all downhill, although it was very hot. Once you are going to finish you going to put out everything. So for the first half I kinda hold back a little bit and then in the last section I put out everything on the line. I had a good lead, so I just relaxed and come through,” she said.

Andre Smith proved the fastest walker in the male category, crossing the finish line in 31:44 minutes ahead of Anthony Thoms of Wolfpack and Lipton Lee of Team Brigade. The fastest finishing time in the female category came from Paula Sinclair, who won the race in 36:19 minutes.

Smith, who also took first place in the masters category, found the experience rewarding. “I feel overwhelmed right now, the hard work I have put in has actually paid off. The route was very challenging, I actually enjoyed going up the first half of the course. On the flip side going down was a cruising event. I really look forward to doing this again next year,” he said.

Super Masters winner, 73-year-old Girlene Nelson from Montego Bay, finished the race in a whopping 33:33 minutes. Nelson said she is able to keep fit because of her healthy diet and exercise regime. “I do not really eat much meat and no soft drink like aerated water or bag juice or anything like that. I drink natural juices, I blend the carrot and the beetroot or other vegetable and drink it straight from the blender,” she said.

Mike Fennell, president of the Jamaica Olympic Association and a member of the Board of Directors of Nuttall Memorial Hospital, was pleased with the public’s support for the event. “It was great, it was a fantastic response to an appeal by Nuttall and the runners have turned out in large numbers,” he said.

He also added that the event had an impact not only on the sporting arena, but the event was good too for the individuals who participated. “It’s not just for the sporting arena, we have to think of the fitness of runners to ensure that people keep physically active and encourage them to keep physically fit.”

Proceeds from the race have been earmarked for the refurbishment of the Gunter Wing and the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital.