By Emmerson Campbell
Nathaniel Giddings and Regina John stormed to victories in the boys and girls open 10km road races yesterday on the first day of competition of the 51st annual National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships.
The events which started in front of the ANSA McAl building in Beterverwagting and ended at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on Carifta Avenue attracted 11 boys and 10 girls.
Giddings representing District 10 (Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani) won the event in 38 minutes and eight seconds.
Giddings led Chaves Sital of District Four (East Coast Demerara) and James Rahaman of District Six (Corentyne) as the top three finishers. Sital finished the race in 40 minutes and 27 seconds, while Rahaman’s time was 41 minutes and 20 seconds.
Although Giddings’ performance was dominant, his achievement paled in comparison to John’s run.
The virtual unknown from District Nine (Rupununi) sprung an upset on District 12’s (East Georgetown) Jevina Straker to win the race in 47 minutes and 57 seconds.
Historically the Rupununi is known for producing quality distance athletes but Straker, a two-time Carifta Games gold medallist in the 1500 metre event, was the overwhelming favourite to run away with the 10km road race.
John however had other ideas; she led Straker and District 10’s Shenika Chapman across the finish line as the first three finishers respectively. Straker recorded 48 minutes and 39 seconds while Chapman’s time was 53 minutes and 27 seconds.
Cycling
Coinciding with the 10km races were the 25km girls open cycle road race and the 40km boys open cycle road race.
Marica Dick from District 15 (New Amsterdam) pedalled away from Crystal Lambert from District Six (Corentyne) and District Four’s (East Coast Demerara) Girlie Stanley.
The event which started and ended at the MOE ground saw Dick in a commanding lead at the halfway mark in Annandale.
Dick never relinquished her lead and resoundingly won the event in 56 minutes and 12 seconds. Lambert and Stanley recorded times of one hour and one minute and one hour and three minutes respectively.
Controversy
The boys 40km race was marred by controversy as the turn back point of the race which was the village of Haslington was unknown by most of the riders causing them to ride past the village. While some of the cyclists turned back at Haslington, others rode as far as Mahaica but the official winner of the event will be announced today as officials were still mulling a solution.
The National Schools Championships will officially open today at the National Stadium, Providence at 9:30 am.
President Bharrat Jagdeo, who is the patron of the event, is expected to be the main speaker at the official ceremony.
