Forde ready to race!

Fired up from a commanding victory at the Ainlim 10km Guyana’s long distance maestro Cleveland Forde will be gunning for another dominant win in the 5000m at the Guyana Defence Force Inter Unit Championships which will be held at the GDF ground Camp Ayanagana this morning. Forde clocked 31.59 seconds to win Sunday’s 10km event, and while many in the region may view that as quiet a fast time, Forde said that he was not pleased.

“Looking at the heat and so on I think that it was fair given the conditions but that’s by far not where I want to be. I looking to get to below 30 so I think I have a lot more work to do. I think some extra mileage would do the trick,” Forde said.

Cleveland Forde

Forde and the other athletes ran from Diamond’s Republic Bank to Ainlim and Ruimveldt, competing against a strong headwind for most of the raise with the already up in the sky.

Forde, the three-time CARIFTA 5000m champion said that he wants to further test his fitness at this week’s Inter Unit Championship as he has several competitions approach.

“In the 5000m, I am looking to come and run so I can test myself,” Forde said confidently. Forde feels the 5000m will give him an opportunity to better test his fitness. Additionally, Forde has been invited to compete at the Venture 5Km race in Trinidad and Tobago this weekend, so he hopes to warm up for that race at today’s event. The 27-year old Forde is the defending Inter Services Athletics Championships (ISAC) 800m, 1500, and 5000m champions as well as the male overall champion athlete. Forde is looking forward to defending those titles after successfully competing at the Inter Unit level this week.

In Forde’s debut at the Inter Unit Championships last year he won the 800m, 1500m and 5000m. Forde is also the national 1500 and 5000 record holder.