Archibald and 14-year-old Skeel capture OH Bay 5K
Archibald of GC Foster was winning the title for the second straight year, topping a field of 93 runners in 16 minutes, 40.86 seconds.
“It was a good run coming off the Christmas holiday where I didn’t do any training,” said Archibald whose time was much slower than the 14:42.47 he did last time here to deny Kirk Brown of a fourth title in succession. “It was a bit hectic because my body didn’t condition for it, so I feel a little chest burn. But it was a good run.”
As one of the top distance runners in the country, Archibald says his time was not important to him at this stage of the season.
“I had a lot of cake and sorrel, so I felt a bit chubby,” he added. “I just came out here to win, that’s all.”
Chadoye Dawson, running for Maximum Aerobic Track Club, was just over a minute behind in second in a time of 16 minutes, 54.64 seconds, while Archibald’s clubmate Henry Thomas was third in 17 minutes, 8.43 seconds.
Skeel, competing in the event for the first time, was the first female to cross the finish line in a time of 23 minutes 44.83. The Kellits High School athlete finished well clear of St Elizabeth Technical High School’s Shadae Findley, who completed the distance in 24 minutes 18.04 seconds. Veteran Arieta Martin of More Gutz Track Club was third in 24 minutes 55.43 seconds.
Speaking to Old Harbour News afterwards, Skeel says she was “not surprise” that she won. The Crofts Hill resident says she intends to enter other road races as part of her preparation for the upcoming Boys’ and Girls’ Championships.
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The event had one of its largest turnouts in years, which was quite pleasing to chief organizer Neville Myton.
“I am pleased,” Myton told Old Harbour News. “We have been trying to get it right for the last 24 years and I think we did get it right this year.”
Myton, a native of the community and its first Olympian added: “We are so delighted and happy and we’re hoping that more people from Old Harbour Bay will come and participate in a community event.
The veteran track and field administrator says the aim is to get the community more involved.
“It is the only event in Jamaica that doesn’t charge students or local people from the community to participate.
“As long as we get more students and more community people to come we will be happy,” he said.
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