Forde submits entry form for South American 10km

… Female champ’s participation in doubt

FOR THE 12th year, Guyana will be hosting the first leg of the South American 10km Road Race Classic – with two others to follow in Suriname and Panama – and defending male champion Cleveland Forde, has already submitted his entry form for this Sunday’s event which begins at 15:30hrs.But it will be interesting to see if he will be able to successfully defend his title, as he recently recovered from an illness and looked a shadow of himself last week when he competed in the annual Inter-Service Athletics

Cleveland Forde
Cleveland Forde

Championships, where he won the 5 000m event, took second in the 1500m and could not cop a podium finish in the 800m.
Forde clocked 32 mins 36 secs last year, but was not seriously challenged, while in 2012 he clocked 33 mins 35 secs to come out on top, ahead of Trinidadians Richard Jones (33mins 38 secs) and Curtis Cox (33 mins 52 secs).
The T&T nationals did not compete last year, but Jones, however, will be making the trip from the Twin Island Republic and if he is in form, could challenge Forde for the top spot.
Also returning for this Sunday’s event is the 2012 female champion and T&T’s top female road race athlete, Tonya Nero, who had registered 38 mins 06 secs to take gold ahead of Kenisha Pascal, who won last year’s female category in a time 42 mins 28.30 secs.
Word out of Guyana Olympic Association office on High Street, known as ‘Olympic House’, is that the Grenadian authorities are trying to secure a flight to ensure Pascal’s participation, even as Nero will be accompanied by Jennelle Nedd.
Suriname are the other overseas team to field athletes – one male and one female – Clifton Betje and Iisida Toemere, while Brazil like last year will not be sending any athletes.
Entries for local athletes close on Friday and so far more than 30 have already registered. Some 70 athletes, both local and foreign faced the starter’s gun last year.
This year the race starts in front of Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) Carifesta Avenue-based earth station, proceeds east along the Rupert Craig Highway to the University of Guyana lights, down the highway onto the Kitty Public Road, onto Vlissengen Road then west into Thomas Lands and into the National Park to end in front the Children’s Monument on the northern side.
The first five finishers in the Male and Female International divisions will pocket US$1000, US$600, US$400, US$300 and US$200 in addition to trophies. The first four juniors will receive US$100, US$75, US$50 and US$25 and trophies, Masters 1-3, run for G$20 000, G$12 000 and G$8 000 and Masters (56 years and over) compete for G$15 000, G$10 000 and G$5 000 along with trophies.
The second leg is in Suriname on November 2 with the third and final leg set for Panama on November 15.

(Leeron Brumell)

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