Campbell and Martin

KEMOY CAMPBELL of Bellefield and G.C. Foster CollegeÕs Arieta Martin opened the 2008 Burger King/Jamdammers Grand Prix Road Race Series with victories in yesterday's Ministry of Health 5K in downtown Kingston.

Campbell stopped the clock 14:39.08 to beat Conroy Crossman of Edwin Allen High (15:13.21) and Kirk Brown of Seek Books (15:25.81).

Campbell was pleased with his performance.

"The race was pretty easy. I like running in sun," said Campbell, a member of Jamaica's team to July's World Junior Championships.

Martin, in the female section, finished in 19:28.68 ahead of Bellefield High's Rosemarie Aldridge (19:47.02) and Karlene Blagrove (20:02.50).

Martin said after limited training this season and missing last year that, "coming out here and running 19 minutes ... I am very pleased with my performance."

notable Absentees

Meanwhile, in a small field in which Manchester High and Vere athletes were notable absentees, Edwin Allen held sway in the High School section.

Shanel Hayles of Edwin Allen High (21:31.46) beat schoolmate Carla Thompson (21:37.00) in the girls' 12-13 section; Foga Road High's pair of Kevon Robinson (19:42.40) and Romarro Francis (19:57.72) took the boys' section for the new Clarendon school.

In the 14-15 section, Samara Cobern of Tacius Golding High (20:06.25) beat Kellyann Pinnock of Edwin Allen High (21:39.49) for the girls' title while Rogeek Rochester of Edwin Allen (17:07.73) beat Denardo Dixon of Holmwood (17:52.29) for the boys' crown.

Holmwood's Amoya Bailey, a national junior representative, won the girls' 16-17 category in 20:21.41 ahead of Edwin Allen's Sharlene Nickle (20:25.37).