Reggae Marathon in Negril today

Western Bureau:The coveted Bob Marley and Rita Marley trophies will be at stake this morning when athletes from over 30 countries converge in Negril for the 2012 staging of the annual Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K run, which carry over US $10,000 in prize money.

"We are looking forward to a very exciting Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon and 10-K run," said Race Director Alfred Francis, the driving force behind the 12-year-old event. "This year we are expecting to have a record number of entries and as usual, we are expecting very good performances."

In addition to the usual strong representation expected from countries like Japan, Brazil and Canada, this year will also see athletes from countries such as Poland and Argentina for the first time.

At the recent launch of the event in Kingston, Natalie Neita-Headley, the minister with responsibility for sport in the Jamaican Government, said the event, which has the full backing and support of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association, is offering the country a unique opportunity to combine two of its premier assets, sport and culture.

TANGIBLE BENEFITS

"We need to guard this event well, so that it can continue to bring tangible benefits to our people and our country," said Neita-Headley. "It is therefore incumbent on us that this brand Jamaica attraction remains with us for a very long time."

At last year's event, which was staged against the usual backdrop of blaring reggae music and flaming bamboo torches along the route, Jamaica's Rupert Green and Jennifer Goebel of the United States ran away with the male and female titles respectively.

Green, who was winning the event for the third consecutive year, covered the IAAF-certified course in a time of 2:32.00, beating fellow Jamaican Colin Graham (3:08.34) and Frenchman Herv Bacon (3:12.07) into second and third places, respectively.

Goebel, who took time off from her vacation to try the race at the insistence of her friend, won in a time of 3:07.59, to finish ahead of Jamaica's Karlene Blagrove (3:36.47) and fellow American Soile Peltonieme-Noskanen (3:51.36), the second and third-place finishers.

This year's event will once again attract solid overseas media coverage, which will be headed by a film crew from ESPN Argentina among track and field magazines from several countries.

Interestingly, for the first time this year, the Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon and 10k, have been included in the Burger King series, which includes other prestigious local events such as the Montego Bay 7K and the Portmore 10k.

- A.F.