Nero set to cop schools

Over 500 students have registered for the race.

Multi-talented Gavyn Nero of Fatima College who counts amount his achievements multiple gold medals at Carifta Games and at the CAC Junior Championships, is the defending champion.

He has been the winner for the past three years (2005 to 2007) and looks set to become the first four-time winner of the event. Nero, 17, is the TT Olympic Committee’s 2007 Junior Sportsman of the Year, will also have his sights set on erasing the boys’ course record.

This mark— 14 minutes 53 seconds — was set in 1996 by three-time winner and now top senior distance runner Richard Jones.

Among the entrants today are reigning Secondary Schools Cross Country champion Dillon Thomas of Russell Latapy Secondary and Devery Robley of Five Rivers Secondary.

Approximately 118 students representing all the secondary schools in Tobago will be ferrying over for the race and leading the charge are Omar Williams of Signal Hill Senior and Ronnel Chance of Scarborough Secondary.

In the girls’ category, the spotlight will be on defending champion Samantha Shukla of SEPOS Gov’t Secondary who is also the Secondary Schools Cross Country champion. The female course record of 17:56 was set by Pilar McShine in 2004.

Toco Composite won both the boys’ and girls’ team titles last year. Team champions are determined by adding the times of the top five finishers from each school.

Product co-sponsors are Gatorade, Bermudez Biscuits and Oasis Water. The race starts behind the main stand of the Hasely Crawford Stadium and courses on Maraval Parkway, Audrey Jeffers Highway, Wrightson Road, Luis Street, Ariapita Avenue, and finishes on the Mondo track of the stadium.

The 5k Classic is the second event of the Ministry of Education Secondary Schools National Athletic Festival. The Cross Country 5k was held in October, and the other two events will be the relays on January 30, and the Track and Field Championships on February 20 and 21.