D’Andrade places seventh in Trinidad Marathon
– bettered last year’s performance, misses record
By Edison Jefford
In a star–studded field of regional and international athletes, local distance champ, Lionel D’Andrade finished seventh overall and bettered last year’s performance in the CLICO Trinidad and Tobago International Marathon.
Lionel D’Andrade
D’Andrade, who had to compete with defending champion Simon Sawe, Trinidad record holder, Ronnie Holassie and seven–time winner, Pamenos Ballantyne, returned 2:35.20 to finish one place better than last year.
Sawe successfully defended his title in 2:24.06, which was slower than his 2:22.19 mark last year while Holassie finished second in 2:25.11 and Saint Lucia’s, Zephanius Joseph third in 2:27.24 to seal the top three finishers.
Saint Vincent’s, Ballantyne came in fourth in 2:28.47 while Trinidad’s Richard Jones in a time of 2:29.17 was fifth and Jesus Lirenzo (2:32.46) was sixth. D’Andrade had clocked 2:35.30 for his eight place finish last year.
Kenyan, Sawe was tipped to win the race in various previews yesterday but D’Andrade told Kaieteur Sport that his intention was to break Andrew Smith’s national record of 2:25.02 in the marquee international race.
“After 14 miles I felt strange in my stomach. It forced me to drop my pace after I realise that it could force me out of the race,” D’Andrade told this newspaper from the Twin Island Republic just after the race yesterday.
He said after the halfway mark in the 26.2 miles race, he was poised to break the national record after his split gave him a time under an hour. But as he approached 14 miles, he discovered a cramp feeling around his abdomen.
“The competition was stiff. I was with everybody up to the halfway mark. But after then I went up to 14 miles and my stomach started to feel funny. I dropped my pace and then I realised I can’t break the record,” he admitted.
Despite the unfortunate discomfort, D’Andrade said that he was happy to at least improve his performance from last year and hinted at perhaps a better time had he not gone through the abdominal problems.
He indicated that he will be training in Trinidad for the inaugural Caribbean Games billed for the same island in July. The top athlete said he will return to Guyana around April to compete in the national senior championships.
