Defending champion Cleveland Forde completed a successful title defence of the first stage of the 10th annual IAAF CONSUDATLE South American 10km Classic Road with a last gasp sprint to the finish at the Police Sports Club ground Eve Leary yesterday.
Forde did not lead the race until the final 300m inside the Police Sports Club ground and for about 200m of the last 300m, he was stride for stride with Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) athlete Matthew Hagley. Forde had to overcome a lead of more than 100m to go with less than 1000m remaining in the race. Hagley finished third after compatriot Richard Jones (32:38s) stole second place from him during the final 100m. Curtis Cox also of T&T finished fourth while junior competitor Nathaniel Giddings (34:33s) placed fifth and Dennis Horatio (34:48s) sixth.
Forde won the race this year in 33 minutes, 35 seconds which was slower than his time in last year’s edition (32:39.7s) by almost a minute. Cleveland Thomas placed seventh overall while Tyshon Bentick placed eighth. Jackson Mendes of Brazil was ninth and Reon Radix of Grenada 10th.
T&T’s Tonya Nero was the first female competitor to finish this year’s event in the absence of defending champion Antonia DaSilva.
The 24-year-old Nero clocked 38:06s while Kenisha Pascal (43:10s) of Grenada finished more than five minutes behind in second place. Guyana Defence Force athlete Ashanti Scott (44:21) placed third. Local long distance champion Alika Morgan was unable to complete the event once again.
Giddings, the 19-year-old Lindener, set the pace once again this year and held onto the lead for more than 8000m. Giddings, who runs barefooted, maintained a lead of close to 100m ahead of the front runners for most of the race before he was chased down and caught by Cox.
Cox finally stole the lead from Giddings on Vlissingen Road in the vicinity of David Street with less than 2000m remaining in the race. Cox then sought to extend the lead but Forde and Jones aggressively pursued him.
Speaking with Stabroek Sport after the race, Forde said that he was not worried about the lead that Giddings and Cox held early in the race.
He added that the pace of the race was comfortable so he was content to relax and remain in the main bunch. After Cox took the lead and picked up the pace at Thomas Lands, Forde said that he progressively stepped up the pace and caught him at the opportune moment during the final 400m of the race, where he is faster than most long distance competitors.
Jevina Straker won the junior female category in 44:50s ahead of Doretta Wilson (45:30s) and Adama Roberts (45:43s). Alisha Fortune defended her title in the women’s veteran category while Ian Archibald won the 40-55 years veteran category ahead of Robert Mc Rae and Linden Harrison. Llewellyn Gardener defeated Maurice Fagundes and Ivelaw Henry to win men’s 56-80 category.
