KINGSTON, Jamaica — The annual Burger King 5k and Relay has a new home. The event will take place at Emancipation Park on Sunday, November 10.

“This year we are at Emancipation Park; over the years we have been in Portmore, and a lot of people have said they want to participate but are not sure about coming to Portmore. So now we’re in the heart of New Kingston and there’s no excuses, and this is all about development for our schools,” Nadia Kiffin-Green, head of sales and marketing at Burger King told Observer Online at the event’s launch, held on Tuesday morning at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium at Jamaica College.

“So come out, support your alma mater. When you register, you can pick a school, allow your school to win $400,000 in the Burger King Big Finish Challenge for the BK 5K and Relay,” Kiffin-Green continued.

Established in 2000, the event is heralded as one of the prime events that prepares students for the major track events. It is also focused on providing competitive training opportunities for athletes, supporting school projects and promoting community spirit.

This year, the prize pool exceeds $1 million with incentives for participants.  For the school that has the most participants competing in the 5K race within 35 minutes, $400,000 cash will be awarded in the BK Big Finish Race. Non-school groups are also eligible for a $100,000 prize.

For the high school relay, a cash pool of $300,000 will be awarded to participants who finish between first to fifth place.

Said Kiffin Green, “The genesis of this has always been about helping the athletes prepare for when peak season starts. This activity goes a long way and starts their journey,” she stressed.

Registration for the Burger King 5K and Relay begins on October 11.

Among the entities who have thrown their sponsorship behind the initiative are Rainforest Seafood, Soccer Xpress, Suncity 104. 9 FM, First Global Bank, Tru Shake, Wata, Powerade and CVM-TV.

— Kevin Jackson