Separate Guardian General 5K Classic for boys and girls

THE Ministry of Education have consented to separate the Guardian General Limited National Schools 5K Classic. For the first time, secondary school girls and boys will have their own race, while their primary school counterparts will feature in a 3k event in May. The 13th edition of the Guardian General Limited/Ministry of Educ-ation Secondary Schools run will be staged on January 31. Pilar McShine will defend her title which she secured in record time — 18 minutes 08 seconds last year.  The boys record is 14:53 posted by Richard Jones in 1996. But Guyanese CARIFTA double gold medallist Cleveland Forde who clocked 15:59 in winning last year’s race for boys, has been kept from defending his title this time.

Organisers have decided the event is soley for nationals of Trinidad and Tobago. This year’s event, timed to begin at 4.30 pm, will start from the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Muc-urapo and take runners on a course through Maraval Road, Audrey Jeffers Highway, Wrightson Road, Luis Street, Ariapita Avenue and back to the finish on the Mondo track at the stadium. Another first this year is that students can register with their physical education teacher.  Registration fee is $10. All finishers will receive commemorative caps, along with a 40 per cent discount at Mario’s Pizzeria. Apart from Guardian General, other co-sponsors of the 5k are Gatorade, Bermudez and Water One. The 5k Classic marks the beginning of the GGL Secondary Schools National Athletic Festival 2004, which will be followed by the relays on February 18 and the Track and Field Championships on March 17 and 18.