A gentle, undulating course starting and ending at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground led to fast times in the 19th Caribbean Community (CARICOM) 10K Run on Sunday, July 7. Over 300 runners signed up for 10K and 5K events, with Jamaica’s Garfield Gordon and Barbados’ Carlie Robinson taking the men’s and women’s elite invitational races, respectively.
Gordon, 29, was second last year on his home turf, on his debut. But with open 10K winner Alex Eseka for company, the Jamaican powered through to take the elite invitational in 30:58, well clear of Guyana’s Odida Parkinson and Antigua & Barbuda’s Kamar Thomas, both running 35:04 for second and third.
Robinson came from behind to take gold in the women’s race. At the halfway stage, she was out of a medal position. But the return leg from Rodney Bay Village, mostly downhill, allowed her to pick up momentum and overtake the leaders.
The 39-year-old finished her fourth CARICOM 10K in a personal-best 39:32 for her first gold, just ahead of 2023 winner Attoya Harvey of Guyana in 40:24, and 2025 champion Alexia John of Trinidad & Tobago in 42:31 for third.
“Oh my God, oh my God, I am so happy,” Robinson said. “This is my fourth CARICOM race, and I’ve been really wanting to win. I came third, I came third, I came second.
“I was honestly quite surprised with my time. So, yesterday, we did course recon. And we realised, you all have hills in this country. We don’t have them in Barbados.
“And these are not the real hills? You guys were very kind to give us a ‘flat’ race today. Lots of hills, that’s definitely a weakness for me. So, I was like, I know that that doesn’t play to my strengths, but let’s see what happens.
“The first half of the race was very tough; that’s where most of the hill work is, and the other girls had a good gap on me. So I was working, working, working, and then I managed to pass them and have a really strong finish, which is what I was hoping for. So I came in under 40 minutes, and I’m very happy.”
Gordon was handed the CARICOM Chairman’s Trophy by Minister for Sports Kenson Casimir, standing in for CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister Philip J Pierre. Robinson received the CARICOM Secretary-General’s Trophy from Dr Carla Barnett. Both will receive prize money of US$1,000.
The open event also featured runners from Kenya and Guadeloupe. Ekesa, who lives in Trinidad & Tobago, won the men’s run in 30:24, with Guyana’s Cleveland Thomas second. Frenchwoman Sunilda Calme stopped the clock at 38:03 for the women’s title, comfortably ahead of Guyana’s Jelesa Wright and Saint Lucia’s McKayla Olivier.
Saint Lucians swept the men’s and women’s 5K. US-based Asa Francis took the men’s run in 17:24, with Lufan Fortune second, and Kenrick James third. Just 12 years old, Danielle Lambert ran 24:43 for the women’s title, followed by Martinique-based teenager Janicia Joseph and Chrysan Florius.
The inaugural Elma Gene Isaac Award was presented to Esmond Reid, Jamaica’s ambassador to CARICOM. The youngest runners, Adam Ramdatt and Nadel Joseph, were also recognised, as were the oldest, Wendell Samuel and Sherri Sayers.
Sunday’s event preceded the Fiftieth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM.
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