Mandeville, Manchester — Participants from nine schools turned out for the inaugural Kiddies Marathon in Mandeville on May 4.

Organisers expected 35 schools but they were pleased nonetheless.

 “It really was wonderful,” said principal of the Mt St Joseph Preparatory School and brainchild of the event Jem Stanley.

 She said that the activities started on time, ran smoothly and the event was well attended.  

The three different distance categories started and ended on the school grounds.

 Shemar McBean of Mt St Joseph Preparatoy and Dannikay Johnson of Ebenezer Primary were the male and female winners of the 5K run.

 Jolan Lambert of Belair Preparatory and Ashalie Whitton of Mt St Joseph Preparatory won the 2.5K.

 Tarique Louden of Belair Preparatory and Yokyra Morris of Yabel Care Centre triumphed in the 1.5K.

Stanley said that the Kiddies Marathon was meant to encourage long-distance running from the preparatory and primary school level.

“I believe that long-distance running should begin from the early years (but) it is not much encouraged in Jamaica,” she told the Jamaica Observer Central.

 Stanley said that although schools such as Mount St Joseph Preparatory may engage in running “cross country” events around the period of Sports Day the inclusion of other long-distance events was also necessary to promote a healthy lifestyle generally.

 She noted that obesity in children is a major concern.

 “As we develop on this I believe it will encourage them (children) to get up from the TV and computer…,” she said.

The Kiddies Marathon, Stanley said, is also an occasion that families can enjoy together.

  “This event has been in my head for a very long time,” she said.

 For the future the aim is to get more sponsorship, more schools involved and even invite schools from outside of Manchester, said Stanley.

 — Alicia Sutherland