MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — Garfield Gordon defended his men’s 5K title at the third staging of the Howard Ward Benefit Foundation Montego Bay Night Run which began and ended at Harmony Park Beach on Jimmy Cliff Boulevard on Saturday.

Despite feeling “a little tired” after travelling from Kingston earlier in the day, Gordon beat Kemar Leslie for the second-straight year while 16-year-old Maldon High School student Tracey-Ann Vernon won the women’s 5K run.

Over 7,000 participants — way more than the 5000 plus who took part in the 2025 staging — turned out for the event that is to benefit Anchovy High School that was badly damaged by Hurricane Melissa on October 28 last year.

Howard Ward, chairman of the organising committee, said they were overwhelmingly pleased with the number of entries as they thought after the hurricane they would not have been able to meet their target.

“This is a big success,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “I did not expect this after Hurricane Melissa, and to see the crowd turn out like this is massive. This is a joy to my heart.”

Ward said they had planned for 6,500 participants and ran out out of race bibs, but were still able to sell another 700 shirts. He said after the passage of the monster storm they had adjusted their expectations to about 4500-5000 participants.

Ward said the turnout showed people believe in the cause.

“The people believed in the product and the name behind it, and the beneficiary also added a lot to it as well.”

The course was changed for the third-straight year. It began and ended at Fairview Complex in the first year, and last year it began at Harmony Park, going towards the Sangster International Airport and back. But this year the runners went the other direction, towards Freeport and back.

Gordon, who has won several races in the city, said this present course is his favourite.

“This course is flatter than the others and that makes for faster times, and I found it quite good,” he told the Observer.

He covered the distance in 15 minutes and 38 seconds, faster than the 15:58 he ran last year.

“I wanted to run faster but the journey from Kingston caused me to be a little tired. But, I am still grateful for the win.”

Leslie was second in 16:13, faster than last year when he ran 16:43. Royale Gordon was third overall in 16:38.

Vernon, who ran faster last year when she placed fourth, won the women’s run in 23:21.

She said she felt “proud of myself” after disclosing she had experienced discomfort after the midway mark in the race.

Nora Parker was second to Vernon in 23:31, with Daniveen Campbell third in 24:35.

Troy Burnett won the men’s walk race in 16:43, ahead of Lamar Spence (17:37) and Hushane Henclewood (18:15).

Nicole Buchanan was the women’s walk race winner in 17:39, defeating Taliba Kerr (21:44) and Kymania Battick (21:54).

Maldon High’s Tracey-Ann Vernon