Blackmore refutes criticisms of South American 10k race

Milton Clarke, manager of the two-member Suriname team which participated in Sunday’s fifth annual South American 10k event said yesterday he was satisfied with most aspects of the staging of the Guyana leg of the race, with the exception of the arrangements for water.

In an invited comment, Clarke, who headed the Suriname three-person delegation of himself and runners 20-year-old Lorenzo Main and 16-year-old Ilside Toemere, said his athletes encountered problems handling the water which was in plastic cups.

“When they picked up the cup with water some water was thrown away,” he said.

He is suggesting that the water be placed in bottles instead of cups in future.

But president of the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) Claude Blackmore, told Stabroek Sport last evening that there was no rule which stated that water must be given to the athletes in bottles.

“Basically the cups are what are available,” he said.

Clarke also felt that the race could have been held later in the evening instead of the 4pm start.

“That is the problem. The sun is too hot. Next time it would be better if the race starts a little later,” he suggested.

But Blackmore said it would be difficult to start the race later. He said the AAG had experimented with a 4.15pm start in 2005 and 2006 but said