Wolmer’s trio sweeps top female spots in CIBC’s Walk for the Cure
Published:Monday | October 23, 2023 | 12:08 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
When Jeneail Henry, a 17-year-old trackstar from Wolmer’s High School for Girls, went to the CIBC FirstCaribbean Walk for the Cure 5K on Sunday, her main goal was just to outshine her schoolmates for the fun of it, not to become the winning female runner for 2023.
But, now that the lower sixth-form student, who competes at 1,500m and 3,000m races in annual championships, was able to outshine the hundreds of participants in this year’s 5K Run/Walk event, she is beyond elated.
For Jeneail, she believes her victory this year, with running 22 minutes and 45 seconds on Sunday at Hope Gardens and in the Hope Pastures area, sets the tone for a new generation of young women to make their mark at local 5K events.
“I feel very good because I made a huge accomplishment,” Jeneail told The Gleaner immediately after passing through the finishing line with two of her track mates, Jordanne Roberts and Renae Chung, completing second and third place in the category of females who competed.
They completed the 5K run in 23 minutes and 58 seconds, and 24 minutes and two seconds, respectively.
Jordanne, 16, said, “I feel pretty good because I’ve been training at the Wolmer’s Girls’ School, and I’m happy that, outside of the usual championships, we are able to make our marks and show the nation that we too can win at 5K events.”
Fifteen-year-old Renae said it was the help of her teammates that motivated her to reach the finish line in third place.
The three Wolmerians were among the hundreds of participants from Jamaica and the 12 other countries in which CIBC operates to help raise approximately US$3 million through breast cancer-based 5K events this month.
In the male category, Garfield Gordon from UCT Steppas, one of the popular first-place winners in various local 5K events, finished on top.
Gordon outshone all competitors with a time of 15 minutes and 52 seconds.
“It’s a really good feeling to come out and win the race. I’ve won a lot of races but, since September, this is my first win,” said the excited young man, who last came first in the European Union-Jamaica 5K in March.
Nigel Holness, managing director, CIBC FirstCaribbean, not only awarded the top performers, but asked for Jamaicans and others to support cancer treatments by donating to the cause, outside of 5K fundraisers.
“Funds raised at Walk for the Cure are also critical to the purchase of equipment used in the diagnosis and treatment of patients [and] we have all been touched by cancer [either through] a blood relative, close friend, relative of a friend, co-worker, neighbour, maybe even ourselves. Cancer has been an unwelcome visitor and we have closed the door on its re-entry,” he said.