NATIONAL Under-20 5K record holder Tafari Waldron clinched his first UWI Spec International Half-Marathon title in a dramatic finish on November 10, outpacing Alex Ekesa by one second to the finish line.
The race began and ended at the UWI Sports and Physical Education Centre (SPEC) in St Augustine, and ran along the Priority Bus Route.
The 19-year-old Carifta Under-20 5,000-metre gold medallist won in one hour, nine minutes, 53 seconds.
Though a close second to Waldron, Ekesa enjoyed an almost four-minute gap ahead of 2023 champion Nicholas Romany in third.
Romany, of the TT Road Runners Club and wearing bib number one, finished in 1:13:53, well short of the 1:11:43 mark that won him last year’s half-marathon.
[caption id="attachment_1119733" align="alignnone" width="500"] Samantha Shukla. - File photo[/caption]
Defence Force’s Darius Harding won the 5K in 17:19, ahead of Raheem Modeste (17:36) and Christopher Sammy (17:47), the other podium finishers.
Samantha Shukla, runner-up in 2023, emerged victorious in the women's half-marathon with a time of 1:37:06. Zara Suite-Stewart claimed second place in 1:41:42, followed by Celine Lestrade in third at 1:42:54.
Shian Lewis won the women's 5K event in 20:47, followed by Nyla Kerr, who finished in 21:02. Alexia John rounded out the top three in 21:58.
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