Forde is Courts 10K winner

—Alika Morgan beaten by Euleen Josiah-Tanner

Guyana’s distance champion Cleveland Forde won his second straight 10K road race for the 2012 offseason after crossing the finish line of the Courts 10k and Walk Race in front of the furniture store’s head office on Main Street in first place yesterday.

While Dennis Horatio tried to keep pace with Forde (also known as ‘Little Kenyan’) the methodical change of speeds by Forde coming closer to the end of the race was too much for Horatio and allowed Forde to cross the finish line in 31:10s to become $100,000 richer.

Horatio, who challenged Forde for most of the race simply could not keep up in the latter half and ended in second place in 32:56s. Cleveland Thomas, who came third last weekend, ended in the same position this time around but was still unable to break the 33-minute barrier recording 33:10s.

Participants pose with the various trophies after the presentation ceremony yesterday. (Orlando Charles photo)

Trinidad-based Guyanese Kelvin Johnson, despite his early efforts to keep pace with the pack, fell way behind in the latter half of the event to place fourth with a time of 34.17s finishing just ahead of Winston Missenger who clocked 34.21s to finish fifth.

Local distance queen Alika Morgan was beaten by overseas-based athlete Euleen Josiah-Tanner who ran away with the female version of the event.

Josiah-Tanner, who seems to have Morgan’s number whenever the two compete over the 10k distance, once again made easy work of her rival finishing the race in a time of 39.53s.

Morgan could not keep pace with the older Josiah-Tanner but managed to hold on for the second spot recording 40.58s when she crossed the finish line. Ashanti Scott, who was second last weekend, fell one spot down to third with a time of 41.53s while Eva Harry was fourth in 45.54s.

Under-23 national team selectee Jevina Straker, who was unable to attend the South American Games due to insufficient funding, ran away with the female junior category ahead of Adama Roberts while Nathaniel Giddings won the male version ahead of Devon Barrington.