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 Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Jamaica win first CAC Half Marathon Cup
...new records set

Jamaica’s Wainard Talbert and Tamica Thomas claimed the top honours at the inaugural Central American and Caribbean Half Marathon Cup, held in conjunction with the 5th Reggae Marathon in Negril, on Saturday 3 December.

Talbert completed the race in a new national record of 1:09:10, more than three minutes faster than the previous mark of 1:12:59, set by Rupert Green during the 2005 World Half Marathon Championships, which were held in Edmonton, Canada on 1 October.

Jamaica’s Shawn Pitter was also well under the former national standard to finish second in 1:09:37, ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Richard Jones (1:10:18), while former national record holder Rupert Green improved his personal best, too, clocking 1:11:34, but missed the podium in 4th place.

In the women’s race, Merecia James and Tamica Thomas ran two minutes faster than the previous national best of 1:31:41, set by the latter in Edmonton. Thomas emerged victorious after a 1:29:25-hour effort, closely followed by her team-mate James (1:29:37) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Shermain Lasaldo (1:31:45).

Only athletes from Trinidad & Tobago and the host country took part in the race. Other nations with a richer long distance tradition in the region like Mexico, Guatemala and Cuba did not send delegations. The 2006 CAC Cup is also scheduled to be held in Negril.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

 IAAF laments Adrian Wallace's death.
Dec. 6, 2005

The IAAF laments the very sad loss of former President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), Adrian Wallace, whose death was reported today by the Jamaican Gleaner. 

Wallace, who served one term as JAAA's president between 1996 and 2000, died on Sunday night (5) in Florida after a long illness, and had been receiving treatment in the United States for some time now.

Howard Aris, the JAAA President, said: "It was really a shock that he has passed, I never knew he was going this early. He will be missed because Adrian was a genuine track and field enthusiast."

"His passing has brought to the track and field fraternity another major loss because whether one holds office or not one serves and it is in that context that he will be sadly missed for track & field."

Wallace, a former Calabar Old Boy and former member of the Schools' Past Students Association, served for many years as JAAA Treasurer under Herb McKenley and Neville 'Teddy' McCook, the current Area Representative on the IAAF Council.