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Kenyan’s outdo Forde as Morgan finishes third
Dec 07, 2009 Sports
By Edison Jefford
Guyana’s foremost distance athletes, Cleveland Forde and Alika Morgan suffered mixed fortunes Saturday evening at the ‘Run Barbados’ International Nature Valley 10km Road Race that a Kenyan husband and wife historically won.
Forde finished fourth in 31:38 seconds in the male race behind three Kenyan’s including race winner and 2007 champion, Phillip Lagat, who returned a blistering 30:01 ahead of defending champ, Robert Letting and Simon Sawe. Letting was timed at 30:25 while Sawe had 31:20 in the fiery race. Forde was the leading Caribbean male and the first to cross the finish line in his fastest time in 2009 in what was a real test for the CARICOM 10km champion.
Forde had complained about being unchallenged in the region after winning the first and second stages of the South American 10km Road Race and finishing second at the Prime Minister of Antigua 10km event this year. His fourth-place finish at the ‘Run Barbados’ event was his first off the podium since he returned from Kenya in 2007 to campaign in the Caribbean. Kelvin Johnson and Chavez Sital were fifth and ninth respectively in Barbados.
Morgan secured a top three finish with her fastest time this year in the women’s version of the ‘Run Barbados’ Nature Valley 10km race. She clocked 38:46 behind Lagat’s wife, Penina Sawe of Kenya, who won in 38:29 seconds. United States of America’s Erin O’Mara edged Morgan for second with 38:43 seconds as the day of historical first continued. It was the first time in the history of event that a wife and husband won the principle prizes of the race.
“There was a bit of wind on the way back, but the race was nice. I enjoyed it and wanted my first 5k to be fast, but it was between me and the wind, so nobody was pushing me,”
Lagat said, expecting more challenge from Letting.
“I ran with him once in the United States and he beat me. Today (Saturday), I said ‘may the best man win’,” he continued. But Letting admitted that the pace was too hot for him, after citing problems with his left hamstring.
The race got underway 15 minutes late after the Barbados Fire Service made sure the area surrounding the Old Welfare Building at the corner of Bay Street and Jemmotts Lane that was on fire was secure with 279-strong field set to race.
Lagat set the pace from the start of the race as he quickly moved ahead of the rest of the field into Bridgetown along Lower Bay Street. Across the Chamberlain Bridge and down Hincks Street, it was Lagat and Letting in the lead.
When Lagat increased the pace, Letting never responded and as they approached the old American Embassy on Cheapside on the way home, the lead had extended to about 100 metres with the others in the stringed along the road.
(Additional reporting by Sherrylyn A. Toppin Barbados Nation)
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