The second instalment of the annual South American 10km Classic event will begin this afternoon at 16:00h at the Police Sports Club Ground Eve Leary and with athletes from Brazil, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago competing against the best local distance athletes nothing less than a classic is expected.
Although the Amateur Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) had previously indicated the participation of athletes from other Caribbean territories, Trinidad will be the only Caribbean country participating in this event.
The athletes from the twin-island republic are Kerticha John, Samantha Shukla (junior), Elvis Turner, Brian Maynard and Kenrick Williams who will compete in the masters’ category.
Oltis Gustavo and Antonia Silva, winners of the first instalment, are the statistical choices for today’s event since both athletes ran blistering times last week-end in Suriname.
However, the locals led by Kelvin Johnson and Alika Morgan, will hold the advantage of being more familiar with the course.
Suriname’s up-and-coming star, distance runner, Ilsida Toemere, will be looking to turn in a strong performance in the junior category.
She ran 45:43,33s last week in Suriname, but was beaten by Morgan who finished about eight minutes in front of the 16-year-old Surinamese.
Traffic, medical, accom-modation and Transport arrangements are in place for the event which will be started by President of the Guyana Olympic Association K. Juman-Yassin, while Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony, will deliver brief remarks. The race starts at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary then proceeds east along Barrack Street, south on Camp Road, West into Lamaha Street, north onto High Street, East onto Seawall Road, south down Camp Road, East along Carifesta Avenue and along the Rupert Craig Highway, turns at Conversation Tree, , west down the East Coast Highway, onto Public Road Kitty, South onto Vlissengen Road, East into Thomas Lands, south on Camp Road, East into Barrack Street to end back on the Police Sports Club ground.
