Francis

JUNIOR ATHLETES competing in this year's Burger King/Jamdammers Road Race Grand Prix Series will not receive prize money.

This announcement, along with a new schedule of events, was made by Alfred Francis, race director, at Wednesday's launch held at Burger King in Half-Way Tree.

Francis, who is also an executive member of the JAAA, said after consultations with coaches, the organisers had decided to cut the prize money for Under-19 athletes.

Clearing house

"There was an incident recently where I had to write to the clearing house in the United States because it was published that an athlete received payments, which would make that athlete a professional.

"The fact is that the schools collect the money from these athletes when they receive it. So, what we have done is cut out the cash award and we will give trophies and we will put back all that money into the school championships."

Saying that, Francis said: "The emphasis is still for the development of the young ones".

Under the United States' NCAA rule, athletes who receive payments or gifts, which would be considered payments, are ineligible to take up a scholarship.

Starts tomorrow

Meanwhile, a total of $346,000 will be paid out at the end of the Grand Prix Series, which starts tomorrow with the Caribbean Wellness Walk/Run 5K in downtown Kingston. The series ends in Portmore with the Burger King 10K on November 16.

The other races in the series are the Burger King 10K in Montego Bay, on October 12, the Clarendon Crime Prevention 10K in May on October 26 and the Holland Bamboo 5K in St Elizabeth on November 9.

Francis said the races were spread across the island because the organisers wanted to take the road races to more people.

Champions

Kemoy Campbell of Bellefield and Tanice Barnett of Royalty Track Club are the defending male and female champions respectively.

The champions this year will walk away with $40,000 while $20,000 and $15,000 will go to second and third places respectively.

The school champions will get $40,000 while $25,000 will go to the second-place team and $16,000 to third. Masters will get $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000.