MANCHESTER High School launched the second staging of the Manchester Capital Run on Tuesday on campus, with strong support from the business community and other organisations in the parish.

Mayor Donovan Mitchell led the charge from a long list of sponsors when he announced that his organisation will contribute $500,000 towards the school’s 5K run/walk which is scheduled for Sunday, December 10 at 6:30 am.

The sponsorship list includes Member of Parliament Rhoda Moy Crawford, the Ministry of Health, Jamaica Standard Products, Power Services Limited, and Jerry Holness — well-respected track and field coach and former head of Manchester High’s sports department.

The sponsorship list also includes Superior Books & Stationery, Fresh Valu Supermarket, Corner Top Bottling, Neils Auto, Allied Real Estate, Prime Awards & Novelties, Newleigh Texaco, People’s Choice Traders, Mother’s Enterprise, Julex Auto, Office Supplies, Big Ben Cambio, Newell’s Auto, Urvill’s Supermarket, and Doorway Express.

Custos Garfield Sean Green and Natalee Nugent-Welcome of the Ministry of Education both endorsed the meet and promised to be at the start line, along with some their contemporaries, and to welcome the finishers who they lead home.

The school’s Chairman Vincent Marshall also gave his full support for the meet and promised to join the crowd on the start line.

Principal Jasford Gabriel said that he was confident they could achieve the target of $10 million. He also said that the funds were needed to help to defray the high cost of maintaining the various sports programmes at the school. According to Gabriel, Manchester High competes in track and field, football, cricket, netball, badminton, table tennis and several other sports. He said it is costly to maintain participation in all in terms of transportation, nutrition, medical, field/court costs, coaches and other support staff fees. Importantly, he said sports help the students in many ways, including with time management, behaviour and focus at school.

Race director and coach at Manchester High Kadia Flemmings said the start line is at Ward Avenue while the race will end at Manchester High School’s gate.

He said the competitors will share in a number of prizes, including cash and trophies for overall winners, male and female victors in the walk and run, as well as winners in the various age categories, high school team categories, and corporate groups.

Flemmings said it was only fitting that the school hosts its own 5K run/walk as it has a rich history of performance in the middle and long distances. He mentioned Linton McKenzie, Delroy Hayden, Norval Jones, George Turbo Powell, Winston “Skinnyman” Taylor, Hilda Baker, the Turner sisters, and in more recent times Olympian Natoya Goule-Toppin who specialises in the 800m event. Manchester High boasts several Olympians, most of whom endorsed the event. The Olympians who attended the school include Elaine Thompson-Herah, Sherone Simpson, Nesta Carter, Chanice Porter, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Omar Mcleod and Lorraine Fenton-Graham.

The Manchester Capital Run was first staged on December 10, 2017.