“IN terms of bringing value home, we always take it to a whole new level with our furniture and appliances that are second to none. The COURTS 10km race will be no different. This will be very exciting; we want to make this a mega race in Guyana.”

Those were the words of Marketing Manager of COURTS (Guyana) Incorporated, Tamara Rodney-Clarke, last Tuesday afternoon, when she handed over her company’s sponsorship for this Sunday’s 10km Road Race Classic that will be held from 06:00hrs.
Rodney-Clarke was addressing the media at the launch of the second edition held at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) headquarters in Kingston since the rebirth of the race adding “We want a race that is second to none. We can only become bigger,” she said.
She said that they will not be catering only for the competitive athletes in Sunday’s event, but those who walk and even jog as there will be a 3km Walk/Jog that caters for the family, corporate community and enthusiasts, with both events being open to the public with free registration.
President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Colin Boyce concurred with Rodney-Clarke, stating that the company is leading by example.
“Indeed, they are bringing a lot of value home to each home with these prizes,” added Boyce, who in his own right is a former athlete.
He continued, “COURTS is trying their best and it is obvious that they are giving back to the communities through sports. This is a wonderful way of showing their appreciation. This is encouraging athletes to work and work hard. Maybe in the future, there will be some electronics being added to those cash prizes.”
He believes that the development thrust of the event can one day see it overtaking the magnitude of the IAAF South American 10k race, a point that saw COURTS’ Marketing Assistant, Kester Abrams agreeing with the AAG boss, stating that the race is “a big race with big money”.
“As you know with sport in Guyana, it’s not every race you can come and win $100 000 for first place. We expect the very best from our distance athletes. Every year we are looking to build and build and build,” Abrams told the media and representative athletes.
He informed that the event forms part of the company’s 19th Anniversary since arriving in Guyana and hopes that the race will grow to include Caribbean participation, adding that Banks DIH is responsible for all rehydration Sunday under its PowerAde brand.
The male and female winner in the Open categories will receive $100 000 each with second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-placed finishers taking home $80 000, $60 000, $40 000 and $20 000 respectively.
In the Masters’ category, the winner gets $60 000, with $40 000 going to the second-placed finisher, while the third-placer will have to settle for $20 000. In the Junior category, the top five finishers will receive $60 000, $40 000, $30 000, $20 000 and $10 000 respectively, with trophies accompanying all the cash prizes.
The race will start in front of COURTS’ Main Street, Georgetown branch store, proceed north to Young Street, east along Young Street into Carifesta Avenue, continue east along Rupert Craig Highway’s northern carriageway to turn at Conversation Tree into Rupert Craig Highway southern carriageway into Kitty Public Road, south on Vlissengen Road; west on Lamaha Street, south on the eastern carriageway on Main Street, turn around at the Cenotaph to finish on the western carriageway of Main Street in front of COURTS.
The route for the 3km Fitness Walk/Jog is as follows: Start in front of COURTS, proceed north to the Seawall Road, east on the Seawall Road to turn south into Camp Street, continue south on Camp Street, turn west on Lamaha Street, south on the eastern carriageway on Main Street, turn around at the Cenotaph to finish on the western carriageway of Main Street in front of COURTS.