In its 36th year history, the 3Kings Mile Road Race has had its share of variations. This year’s race on Saturday, Jan. 6, was another variation. There was a time when the annual parade, for obvious reasons, was called the 3Kings Parade. It alternated between Christiansted and Frederiksted bi-annually. Then came the Children’s Parade as another event staged on the day before the Adult Parade. The 3Kings Mile and The Children Race were conceived by V.I. Pace Runners founder Wallace Williams, a V.I. Olympic marathon runner.
The mile kicks-off the adult parade and follows the parade route from Claude O. Markoe School to Fort Frederik and the review stand. The Children Race is 800 meters and half the distance; it starts at the top of King Street and also finishes the same place as the 3Kings Mile.
Due to the impact of hurricanes Irma and Maria, parade organizers combined the parades and held them on Saturday this year; likewise, V.I. Pace Runners, the organizer for the V.I. Track and Field Federation (VITFF) sanctioned event, decided to stage both races on Saturday as well. Thanks to the great support of the V.I. Police Department and the coordinating efforts of Captain Clyde Newton, both races went like clockwork.
Michelle Smith of St. Croix Track Club/Eulalie Rivera School was the first girl in Children Race. Aden Rojas of AZ Academy takes the honors for the boys.
The star of the Children Race for runners ages 13 and under was 11-year-old Michelle Smith of the St. Croix Track Club (SCTC) and Eulalie Rivera School who was the first runner across the line and first female in 2:28 taking both the overall and female titles. Akyra Joseph, (SCTC) was second with a time of 2:49; Aden Rojas of AZ Academy was the first male and third overall and led boys under 10 with a time of 2:51; Kyle Pinnock (SCTC) was the second place male and first 13 and under in 2:52; Kirstan Jones (SCTC) was the third female finisher in 3:18; Ridley Smith of Montessori School was the second male under 10 and third male overall in 3:25; Lauren Jones (SCTC) was the first female under-10 and fourth female overall in 3:24; Arianna Edgar (SCTC) was the fourth female finisher in 3:38; Katelyn Jones SCTC was the second under-10 female finisher and sixth female overall finisher in 3:43; Terrance Charles Jr. (SCTC) was the second under-10 male finisher and fourth overall finisher in 3:43; Chaney Smith Good Hope Country Day School was the third under-10 female finisher and seventh overall female finisher in 3:48; Ellah Chewning of Good Hope Country Day School was the fourth female under-10 finisher and eighth overall female finisher in 4:05; Sara Jones (SCTC) was the fifth under-10 female finisher and ninth overall female in 4:18.
Dominic Pugliese of Good Hope Country Day School is King of the Mile. Mikaela Smith St. Croix Track Club is Queen of the Mile.
The point-to-point course for this foot race is mostly downhill for half the distance. Dominic Pugliese SMSH and V.I. Triathlon Federation took the lead from the start and made the turn at the halfway point at King and Fisher Streets looking for a negative split for the classic one-mile distance. He breezed to the finish in 4:45, a personal record, to win the 36th running of the event that has over the years hosted the top distance runners in the Virgin Islands. Randall Nielsen of the Superior Court, with the honor of being the oldest runner in the race at 50, took second place overall in 5:06; Michal Dizon-Bauman GHCD School was third in 5:11; Islam Quatom was fourth in 5:25.
Mikaela Smith (SCTC) took first place for females overall and fourth overall in 6:22; Mireille Smith (SCTC) and Mikaela’s mother was the second female in 6:22; Anelia Austrie (SCTC) was third in 6:38; Tinal Da Costa was fourth in 7:54.
For information, logon to http://virginislandspace.org; call: 643-2557 or email: wallacewilliams@msn.com
