( L - R ) Kemoy Campbell, Natoya Goule - file photos

The Holland Bamboo 5K, the fourth event in the Burger King/Jamdammers Road Race Grand Prix Series, could lose its status if measures are not put in place to correct flaws at the start and finish of the race.

Several athletes, including champions Kemoy Campbell of Bellefield High and Natoya Goule of Manchester High praised the course. However, according to reports reaching STAR Sports the allotted space at the start and finish of the race was inadequate.

Alfred Francis, an executive member of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), who performed the task as race director, was not happy with the overall product.

Many positives

"There are many positives in the event, but the St Elizabeth Homecoming committee needs to provide a proper staging area to facilitate the athletes' welfare before and after the race," said Francis.

In cool and overcast conditions with intermittent showers at the start, Campbell stopped the clock in 13 minutes 57 seconds, while Goule raced to victory in 17 minutes and 24 seconds.

Campbell whose time was a personal best effort, finished ahead of Rupert Green of It Dat (14:32), Conroy Crossman of Edwin Allen (14:41) and Kirk Brown of Ebony Seek (14:42).

"The race was easy. I enjoyed the race because of the shade," said Campbell, in reference to the shade provided by the bamboo plants which line the three-mile stretch of road.

In the female section, Arieta Martin, the series leader, finished second in 18:03, while Niesha Morgan of Manchester High (18:04) and Amoya Bailey of Holmwood (18:26) were third and fourth respectively.

Goule also had fun in the bamboo. "It was smooth, cool and nice," she said of the run.

"It was the best race of the series so far," she added.

But, despite these comments, Francis, the driving force behind long distance running in Jamaica, said he has made some recommendations, which he hopes the organisers will follow, for the benefit of the race.

With one race to go - Sunday's Burger King 10K in Portmore - Green leads the men's section with 34 points ahead of Brown and Crossman, both on 32, and Campbell on 30.

In the female section, Martin is ahead on 38 points followed by Goule on 29 and Bailey on 26.

In the high schools' section, Edwin Allen won ahead of Holmwood and Vere in the boys' category, while Manchester and Holmwood's girls were tied for first place ahead of Edwin Allen.

Edwin Allen moved to 36 points, ahead of Holmwood 33, Kellits 32 in the boys' division while in the girls' section, Holmwood, 36.5, lead Edwin Allen 36 and Bellefield and Manchester, 27.5.