By Aaquib Abdullah
Despite the drizzly weather, spirits were high as hundreds of participants turned up for the 5k run on Saturday, September 28th.
Victoria Brown-Douglas, a lifetime resident of Southside Jamaica and an adrenaline junkie, was excited to participate, along with her friend Regina Atkinson. “Jamaica is changing. We’ve got to make an effort to be a part of it.”
(Pictured, from left to right: Regina Atkinson and Victoria Brown-Douglas)
Both first-timers and veteran marathoners showed up to take part, like father and son duo Jose and Michael Mongee, who bond over the sport.
(Pictured from left to right: Jose and Michael Mongee)
The 5K, organized by the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, and hosted by York College, is the third such event, and has become an annual tradition. According to its mission statement, the GJDC ‘plans, promotes, coordinates, and advances responsible development to revitalize Jamaica and strengthen the region.’, and the 5K itself is designed to foster a community spirit through fun and physical activity.
The 5Ks began shortly after the Covid lockdowns, and have been steadily growing bigger each year, with participation doubling from roughly two hundred in 2023 to almost five hundred in 2024, according to a volunteer who wishes to remain anonymous.
The net proceeds from the 5k will be donated to a local community/ or an educational program, which has yet to be determined.
