Guardian ( Trinidad and Tobago )
17 October 2023 ( Page 42 )
RBC Race for the Kids a great success
VINAYA BOODRAM
The Royal Bank of Canada held their RBC Race for the Kids (RFTK) 5K and
15K on Saturday in St Clair, Port-of-Spain with Alex Ekesa winning the 15k
title.
Ekesa with bib number 393, placed first in the 15k race at a time of 47
minutes and 51 seconds.
Following behind in a time of 48.44 was Nicholas Romany from team T&T
Road Racing Club (TTRRC), captained by Christopher Williams.
Captain Collin Pereira of the team named after himself, placed third with a
time of 51.19.
The RBC RFTK is a global charity run that has grown into a series of 25-
plus family fun races that take place around the world.
In addition to New York City, they also held the event in 15 other major
cities around the world, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Toronto, London,
Hong Kong, and Sydney. In the Caribbean, there are races also in Barbados,
the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, and T&T.
The T&T edition of the RFTK event supports the RBC Caribbean Children’s
Cancer Fund and assists Caribbean youth under the age of 16 who have
been diagnosed with cancer. It funds the care, treatment, and testing of
those who are fighting the disease.
Many children in T&T battle cancer every day. To date, over 280 children
have been treated.
Apart from the children and families that have been assisted through the
fund, in 2019 a Flow Cytometer, valued at TT 2.5 million, was donated to
the Eric Williams Medical Complex. This machine increases survival rates
as it more accurately diagnoses leukaemia at an early stage.
The top finisher among the women was Samantha Shukla, who placed 17th
overall with an hour and 50 seconds. Chantel Le Maitre was 36th with a
time of one hour and nine minutes and in 47th place with a time of one
hour and ten minutes, Kelly Rampersad from team One A Week, captained
by Sherette Almandoz.
In the 5k category, all top three finishers completed the race within 15
minutes. Tafari Waldron was number one, with a time of 15 minutes and 14
seconds.
A couple of seconds away was Donnell Francis in second with a time of 15
minutes and 37 seconds and from team Defence Force, Christopher
Mitchell in third, clocking in a time of 15 minutes and 45 seconds.
Representing the women Isis Gaskin was in 13th place completing the race
in 19.14. Kayleigh Forde of Convent Strong placed 20th in 20.27 and in
26th Chennai Moore, with a time of 20.46.
At the end of the charity event, a total of $18,130.30 was raised overall.
From teams, a total of $10,465.61 alone was raised, with the goal being
$20,000. Top teams, team Ledgerndary raised $3,639.89 followed by team
Maraval with $2,450.82. The top fundraiser, Nisha Chillar-Ali, raised
$3,497.18, and Tara Tricia Lopes with $1,061.56.
Photo: A group of runners at the start of the RBC Race for the Kids on Hayes
Street, St Clair, on Saturday. PICTURE NICOLE DRAYTON