With proof of full vaccination becoming a new norm for people to attend sporting events, organisers of the Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run have mandated similar requirements for those wishing to take part in its Invitational and Team Bubble run at this year’s 24th staging.

The 5.5K charity road race, which is this year targeting $50 million for the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), was officially launched at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday.

Having only hosted 100 individuals for its Invitational last year — which was a stark contrast to the usual 26,000-strong participants — organisers believe it represented the legacy of the event, which has, over the years, raised approximately $500 million for numerous beneficiaries since its inception in 1999.

Last year, the event hauled in $49 million for the Annotto Bay and Port Antonio Hospitals to purchase medical equipment.

This year, proceeds for the KPH will be used to procure equipment for the surgery department, a computerised tomography (CT) scan machine, as well as equipment that treat cancer patients.

Sagicor will also undertake a multi-year project of renovating the bathroom facilities at the 245-year-old hospital.

According to Alysia White, Sagicor Foundation’s executive director, this year is another significant step forward, as they continue to rise to the occasion for a worthy cause, despite challenges brought by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“It is the cause that keeps us going, even amidst the pandemic,” White said during the launch.

“What we were able to achieve last year by hosting a safe run with all the necessary COVID protocols in place showed us that it could be done and that’s why this year, we are striving to continue the rich legacy of the Sigma Run by once again finding innovative ways and safe ways to execute,” she added.

Along with the Team Bubble and Invitational Runs, scheduled for March 13 and 20, respectively, the event will again feature a Virtual Run from March 1 to 31.

A total of 3,500 people will be accommodated for the Team Bubble and Invitational Runs in New Kingston.

For the Invitational, 1,000 participants, who previously completed the Sigma Run in under 45 minutes, are eligible to register for this event, while the other 2,500 can register as part of a corporate company or running group.

Entry fee for the Virtual Run is $2,000 for local entrants and US$20 for international entrants. Registration for that closes on March 30, while registration for the Invitational and Team Bubble runs, closes on February 25.

The Invitational has an entry fee of $3,500, with the Team Bubble fee being $100,000. Teams are allowed to have a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 50 participants, with an additional fee of $2,000 being applied for each person over the 50 limit. However, the overall number of participants for the run still caps at 2,500.

Both runs are expected to start in waves of 100 participants at a time and all must provide proof of their vaccination status.

“We will provide the opportunity for participants to run in their own bubble of 100 at a time at different intervals. So participants will be provided with a time for their arrival and as such should not come before or after that time,” White noted.

Chairman of Sagicor Foundation R Danny Williams urged Jamaicans at home and abroad to support the cause, pointing out that illness is not bias to anyone and as such, anyone could require medical treatment at KPH at any given time.

“As we continue to navigate our lives in this pandemic, we are not able to gather as we use to, however, the mission remains the same we are raising funds for a worthy cause,” Williams said.

Olympians Hansle Parchment and Megan Tapper are patrons for this year’s staging, which will use the original Sigma route for the Team Bubble Run and the double loop route for the Invitational.

Minister of Health Christopher Tufton also lent his voice to proceedings.