Strong Support for 2026 JN Group Race for Hope 5K and Kids Fun Run
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Kemar Leslie celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the JN Group Race for Hope 5K run in 16:43 on Sunday, January 18. Proceeds from the event will go towards repairing internal roads at Hope Gardens and supporting female entrepreneurs in western Jamaica impacted by Hurricane Melissa.
Hundreds took part in the JN Group Race for Hope 5K and Kids Fun Run on Sunday, January 18 demonstrating strong support for wellness, social impact and recovery initiatives.
The event, which featured a 5K run, 5k walk and a separate race for children under 12, drew entrants of all ages. From seasoned runners to families with young children, the strong turnout transformed the venue into a vibrant hub of activity.
The 5K course began at Hope Gardens, winding through the scenic and hilly streets of the Hope Pastures community in Kingston, before returning to the historic green space for the finish. The terrain provided both a challenge and a rewarding experience for participants.
The overall winner of the 5k run, was Kemar Leslie of Rainforest/PureLuv, who finished in 16:43. Rounding out the top three males for the event were Royale Gordon, of UCT Steppas, who completed the race in 16:49 and Jomo-Rhys Gilman, from Pacers Running Club, who stopped the clock at 17:15.
On the female side, Dandie Williams, from Pacers Running Club, took first place, completing the run in 21:26 ahead of Heba Elzoheery (23:38) and Annakay Edwards-Dub (25:07).
Ms Williams, who has become one of the race’s consistent participants, said she enjoys running at Race for Hope and encourages others to support it annually as “It is a wonderful event with a very good cause.”
“I like the hills, I don’t mind it. My time was very good. It was my first official race for the year, and I did one minute better than I did the last time, so it was a very good race for me,” she said, reflecting on her own race this year.
The 5k walk also proved to be competitive with the male winner, Duwell Allen of Creation Food Ltd, taking the award in a time of 27:13, ahead of Jason Whynn, of Whynn Ton Club (31:59) and the Jamaica Fire Brigade’s Omry Samuels (32:34).
Paula Sinclair of UCT Steppas took the female award for the 5k walk, crossing the line in 32:45. In second place was Carlene Wallace, of Dufflebody365, with a time of 34:57. Karene Staple, competing independently, took third in 35:57.
Caption Claudine Allen general manager of the JN Foundation shares a conversation with Dandie Williams from the Pacers Running Club after she finished as the first female runner in the JN Group Race for Hope 5K
The Kids Fun Run, which featured a different route inside Hope Gardens, was won by 11-year old Dwight Wilson with nine-year old Mikai Woon copping second place and another 11-year old, Neymar Whyte, third.
Other awards were also presented to title sponsors, JN Group, as the top corporate team, AISK as the top high school and to Pacers Running Club as the top running club.
Beyond the physical focus and event flow, organisers were praised for promoting inclusivity, ensuring the course and activities were accessible to participants with disabilities. Among those who also completed the 5k course were 59-year-old Vinnette Green and her 30-year-old daughter, Sasha McKane, both wheelchair users. The mother-daughter duo has made the JN Group Race for Hope a key part of their annual wellness routine.
“I always like to do these road races, and it is important to do exercise to keep your body fit and healthy,” said Ms Green adding that, “Despite the disability we still did good. I went up the steep hills and beat a lot of them that ran and walked.”
Proceeds from this year’s event has been earmarked for repairing internal roads at Hope Gardens and supporting five female entrepreneurs in western Jamaica whose businesses were affected by Hurricane Melissa.
Claudine Allen, general manager of the JN Foundation and member relations executive of the JN Group also disclosed at the event that of those five entrepreneurial support grants, two slots have been reserved, through discussions with the Nature Preservation Foundation (NPF), managers of Hope Gardens, for members of the Youth Entrepreneurs Association, ensuring that young women-led businesses are included in the recovery effort and positioned for long-term sustainability.
“There are many areas at Hope Gardens that could benefit from funding, but what’s remarkable is that even as the NPF works to rise and ‘build back better’, they are still committed to helping others. This iteration of the race has significant meaning for us at JN and the social impact is one that we applaud,” she shared reflecting on the JN Group’s own commitment to the recovery efforts, national development and sustainability.
“We are all about people. Jamaica National has been around for more than 150 years and we are sincerely invested in Jamaica. We understand that without people, there is nothing. That’s why we are proud to support initiatives that promote wellness, strengthen social cohesion and build our communities.
The JN Group Race for Hope 5k and Kids Fun Run started in 2012 and has become a staple on Jamaica’s wellness calendar.
