Sigma Run winners glad to be back on the road

For the first time in two years, runners were able to come together in large numbers once again to take over the streets of Kingston for the 25th staging of the Sigma Corporate Run which pulled in a record $91,852,500 in raised funds for the 2023 Sigma Run beneficiaries, The University Hospital of the West Indies Paediatric Unit and the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Of the 21,000 participants that took to the streets for the 5.5k event, Garfield Gordon of UTC Steppas Track Club emerged as the male race winner after bursting the tape in a time of 17 minutes 32 seconds with Dwayne Graham representing Rainforest Seafoods placing second in 17:36. Noel-Jonathan Ellis from Jamaica Civil Aviation was in third in 18:05.

On the female side, defending champion Jozanne Harris of Jamdammers Racing Club ran almost an identical time to last year to cop the female overall title following her time of 23 minutes and 20 seconds.

Michelle McNally of Relmac Construction placed second in 25:31 with Pauline Murphy of Digicel rounding out the top three in 25:51.

Gordon, a former G C Foster College student, was securing his third Sigma run title and the current long-distance coach at St George’s College said the race was pleasing just to be back out on the road again.

“It is a good feeling for me to come out and win again because my last victory was back in 2020. I didn’t get to put in much training due to the pandemic and work commitments over the past two years, but I did enough work to pull through.”

Gordon said he knew he had the race won when he entered the closing stages of the event.

“When I turned and reached the 5K mark I knew I had more leg speed than the guy next to me, so I knew I would have won in a sprint to the finish.”

In the meantime, tri-athlete Harris who was securing back-to-back female titles shared the same sentiments as Gordon regarding the race returning to its original form.

“The race was as challenge as always, but it was good to be back on the old route and back within the crowd with the vibe. I was just hoping to come back and win this year, after this I feel like I should retire,” said Harris jokingly.

Olympic and World Champion Shelly Ann-Fraser Pryce, who was one of the patrons at this year’s staging, said she was also glad to see the more than 21,000 participants back on the streets once again for a worthy cause.

“Anytime Jamaicans come together for a good cause I feel good and I know the beneficiaries will be proud and excited. I can’t wait to see the renovations and the outfitting that these donations will do,” she said.