Famous To Cheer On Sister In Skyport Magic Mile
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Sakari Famous will be paying special attention to the annual Skyport Magic Mile at the Flora Duffy Stadium on Saturday, March 4th.
The Bermuda high jumper’s younger sister Anaiah Famous-Woolridge will be among the estimated 1,000-plus youngsters competing in the beloved community race.
Although Famous will not be able to attend the event, as she continues her recovery from a back injury in the United States, she will be cheering on her nine-year-old sister from afar.
“My little sister will be participating in the event, and I love seeing her compete,” Famous told Bernews.
“She has a competitive spirit as well. I know for sure she will have fun throughout the race. I’m looking forward to it. I’m still away at school [McNeese University in Lake Charles, Louisiana], but I’ll be supporting her!”
Famous, who represented Bermuda at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last summer, never actually took part in the iconic race, founded by the Bermuda Pacers Track Club, now in its 26th year.
She did, however, perform the role of “tortoise” – someone who runs behind the competitors and stays with the last runner – when she was a high school student at Berkeley Institute.
“Even though I was not an official runner, it was a great experience seeing the younger generation enjoying running for fun and showing their competitive spirit,” said Famous, who had won six straight indoor meets before her injury, which will rule her out of the remainder of the indoor season.
Famous, who holds the national record of 1.77 metres, said the mile race, for children aged 4 to 15, helps bring the island together and offers a fun introduction to running for youngsters.
“I believe an event such as the Skyport Magic Mile gives an opportunity for young Bermudians to experience a new athletic atmosphere,” she added.
“With the event hosted at the Flora Duffy Stadium, the thrills of competition at the track always brings out the best in everyone.
“It’s also amazing to see how this event brings Bermudians from across the island together in one place, cheering on their little ones.”
Dage Minors, the island’s top middle-distance runner, will attend the ever-popular event to support his seven-year-old nephew Khol Smith.
“He’s starting to like running, and I’ll just tell him to go out there and enjoy the experience,” Minors said. “I’ve told him to be better than his uncle!”
Participants can be registered online at racedayworld.com. Physical entry forms are available at Sportseller in Washington Mall. The entry fee is $15 and must be paid by March 2 by 5 pm for paper entries and March 3 by 6 pm for online entries.
