The 34th edition of the Eastern Credit Union (ECU) road race will speed off from 5 am on Sunday, with athletes striving for top honours in both the 5K and 15K events.

The starting point for the 5K will be at the St Mary's Children's Home in Tacarigua, and the runners will proceed in a westerly direction along the Eastern Main Road before hitting the finishing line at the La Joya Sporting Complex in St Joseph. The 15K will commence at the La Joya venue, with the course taking the runners to Farm Road, St Joseph, then Five Rivers junction, before ending in La Joya.

Over $70,000 in cash prizes will be up for grabs, with the top male and female runners in the 15K set to walk away with $6,000 each. The runner-up and third-place finishers in the 15K will receive $4,000 and $2,500 respectively.

In the 5K, the top prize will be $3,000 in both the male and female categories.

There will also be prizes for the top para athletes in the 15K race, with the winner set to receive $1,500 and the runner-up walking away with $1,000. The best masters athlete (50 and over) will receive a $1,000 prize, while the best under-17 athletes will also be in line for cash prizes.

Last year, long-distance specialist Nicholas Romany ran away with the 15K title when he beat ace TT junior athlete Tafari Waldron to the finish line. Romany took the top prize in 50 minutes and 26 seconds (50:26), while Waldron clocked 50:38. Waldron, who successfully defended his boys' under-20 5,000-metre crown at this year's Carifta Games, defeated Romany in a 3,000-metre duel at the National Association of Athletics Administration (NAAA) track and field series meet three last month.

The impressive Samantha Shukla took home the women's 15K honours last year, while Donnell Francis and Kaya Beadle won the respective male and female 5K titles.

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