Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 27, 2014 Sports
By Edison Jefford
Guyana’s most successful distance athlete over the last decade, Cleveland Forde, admittedly still not one hundred percent recovered from the pervasive Chikungunya virus, prevailed yesterday in the IAAF South American 10km Road Race with a gutsy performance.
Forde won in 32:27.39, which rubbished Cleveland Thomas’s time in the Courts 10km race for the fastest this year. Chikungunya had ruled Forde out of the Courts 10km race three weeks ago that allowed Thomas to win the first major title of his career.
Notwithstanding him having to overcome Chikungunya and compete at the University of Guyana Games on Saturday where he won both the 800m and 5000m, Forde looked almost sublime as he broke from the lead pack on Vlissingen Road and headed unrivalled for the finish line in the first of three stages of the South American race here in Guyana.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Richard Jones tried to match the sudden pace from Forde, but that proved to be an exercise in futility since Forde’s finishing pace was superior. Jones was second in 32:39.21, while Thomas (32:56.25) was third. Trinidad-based Guyanese, Kelvin Johnson finished fourth in 33:21.28 and Nathaniel Giddings (33:24.43) rounded off the top five male finishers, who received cash prizes.
Thomas was the early pace-maker with Giddings, Tyshon Bentick, Kevin Bayley, Johnson and Forde trailing behind in a bunch. The cat-and-mouse game continued when Ornesto Thomas took over the lead around the 2km mark with the trail pack remaining the same.
However, Thomas was soon dropped and the finishing five among the men took control of the race with Giddings leading as usual. They came through the halfway stage judging each others’ pace and waiting for someone to make the first move.
At the halfway stage, Tonya Nero had already taken the lead on Euleen Josiah-Tanner and Alika Morgan respectively in the female race. They finished in that order with Nero turning in 37:35.46 that was about four seconds ahead of Josiah-Tanner (37:39.18). Morgan had 40:05.39 for third as Andrea Foster and Trinidad’s Jenelle Nedd, 40:22.68 and 41:21.89 finished fourth and fifth respectively.
The race started just outside Saint Stanislaus College Ground on CARIFESTA Avenue, made its way up to Turkeyen along the Rupert Craig Highway then returned along the southern carriageway, into Kitty Public Road before turning into Vlissingen Road then Thomas Road to finish inside the National Park.
Jones had assumed a slight lead on Vlissingen Road with Forde just behind as the two strung out Thomas, Giddings and Johnson. However, Forde caught him and upped the ante just before they enter Thomas Road. The move obviously surprised Jones, who was perhaps hoping to see Forde make his break in the last 400m or so as is customary.
However, the tactic allowed Forde to ease to his sixth consecutive South American 10km Road Race title, which is half the life of the event. The overcast and cool conditions yesterday mostly favoured the athletes, who turned in better times overall.
Mariah McKenzie won the Junior Girls race in 43:13, beating both Shontel Hinds (45:06.89) and Linden’s Cassie Kirton (48:56.39). Euodia Forte (1:04:57) was fourth. Mathew McKenzie sealed the Junior Boys title in 35:29.68 ahead of Carl McKenzie (36:25.28) and Leon Benjamin (39:22). Rupununi’s Samuel Domingo (43:13) was fourth.
Alisha Fortune won the Masters women in 50:16.28 with Cyrleen Phillips (50:24.89) second and Carla Benjamin (50:44.25) third. Ian Archibald won the Masters 40-55 title in 37:12.86; Robert McRae (39:30.11) was second while Gary Fagundes (42:14.43) was third. Dr. Ravi Purohit won the Masters 56 and Over category in 46:13.31, while Carlton Stephenson (49:13.89) was second and Maurice Fagundes (49:15.28) third.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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