Irwine Clare, the founder, and CEO of Team Jamaica Bickle, announced that the organization wants to raise US$25,000 by sponsoring a virtual 5K run/walk event, which will run from October 9, 2020, through October 24, 2020. The funds will go toward supporting athletes from the Caribbean who are participating in the annual Penn Relays Carnival at the University of Pennsylvania. Team Jamaica Bickle has been helping with the hosting, hospitality, transportation, and health care of Caribbean athletes at the event for 26 years.
Clare, who spoke at the digital launch of the event said the yearly event was moved online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization is looking to obtain the support of participants worldwide. According to an announcement by Marvin Anderson, the president of the Olympian Association of Jamaica, Sherone Simpson, who has won three Olympic medals and was twice named world athletic champion, is a patron for the virtual run/walk. Anderson praised Team Jamaica for moving ahead with the event, noting that the organization’s work continues to be relevant considering current conditions. The way the virtual environment is maximized is critical to how the sports sector moves forward, he added.
The organization will be flexible in responding to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and any decisions will prioritize the athletes’ welfare, said Clare. He went on to note that while some projects have been suspended, Team Jamaica Bickle is grateful for the support it has received and is looking forward to the successful implementation of its initiatives in the future. One of these initiatives is the defibrillator program, which provided 35 defibrillator devices to schools in Jamaica in 2019.
Xavier Murphy, the founder of Jamaicans.com, attended the event and commended the efforts of the organization to help Jamaican athletes.
Those who want to participate in the virtual 5K run/walk can register for the event at https://events.elitefeats.com/bickle20, where they can donate US$30. Once they have registered, participants will have about two weeks (October 9 – 24, 2020) to complete their run or walk and upload their time via the Strava App, which is available for download from the Apple or Google Play store.
Two participants will be automatically entered into the Reggae Marathon, which will also be held virtually in 2020. In addition, five females and five males will receive prizes. Prize announcements will be made on October 25, 2020, at noon and be streamed live on the Jamaicans.com Facebook page, on the Facebook page of Team Jamaica Bickle, and on its other social media platforms.
The virtual run/walk event is sponsored by Grace Kennedy, JTB, Caribbean Food Delights, Jamaicans.com, Energice, Reggae Marathon, Awesome Power Track Club, Joseph Sports LLC, and the True Tribute Organization.
Photo Source: Sherone Simpson IG
