UNDEFEATED since 2008, Guyana’s long distance king Cleveland Forde yesterday won his sixth successive South American 10km road race, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Tonya Nero recaptured the female crown she relinquished in 2013.Some 90 starters were registered for the event that was sent on its way by president of the Guyana Olympic Association K. Juman Yassin about 50 metres before the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) earth station on Carifesta Avenue.
And from the whistle, Guyana’s top male distance athletes took to the front, with one foreigner in T&T’s Richard Jones amongst them and by Sheriff Street, the lead group comprised Forde, Jones, Kelvin Johnson, Nathaniel Giddings, Cleveland Thomas, Kevin Bayley and Ornesta Thomas.
The lead would switch several times between Sheriff Street and Ocean View International Hotel, Liliendaal, but as the head wind got stronger, Bayley and Ornesto Thomas would be dropped and the remaining quintet carried the race.
At the University of Guyana (UG) lights turn when the police escort halted traffic, the pace was even but with the wind in their backs it increased as they reached the 4km mark opposite the Liliendaal Pump station, Forde all the while biding his time at the back of the group.
On the northern side of the East Coast carriage way, the first glimpse of the females with Nero all alone, followed some distance back by overseas-based Guyanese Euleen Josiah-Tanner and further back Alika Morgan.
Approaching Sheriff Street, Jones took the lead, with Forde and Cleveland Thomas behind, Johnson and Giddings’ chances of a top three finish out the window even as they head into the Russian Embassy Turn.
Jones led the way onto the Kitty Public Road, but as they swung south onto the western carriage way of Vlissengen Road, Forde made his move and took the lead.
He raced into Thomas Lands all alone and into the National Park and as the rugby players and spectators realized he was all alone, they egged him on, but he shut down meters before the finish line to take the win in 32 minutes 27.39 seconds.
Last year he won in 32 minutes 36 seconds, with Jones crossing some 20 metres behind in 32mins 39.21 seconds, followed by Cleveland Thomas (32mins 56.25 secs) who switched places with Kelvin Johnson who came home in fourth and Giddings fifth, rounding out the top five places in the open class.
After the race, Forde said he was not in his best race form but decided to compete and make a dash for the finish line when he entered the National Park, but coming onto Vlissengen Road, said he felt better and upped the pace, Jones was resigned to his fate.
In the Women’s open class, Nero stopped the clock at 37 minutes 35.46 seconds unchallenged. In 2012 she clocked 38 mins 06 secs and this year held a comfortable lead ahead over the second placed Josiah-Tanner.
Josiah-Tanner came in by Chronicle Sport’s clock, some two minutes behind Nero, however the official results from the Athletics Association has Josiah-Tanner finishing a mere four seconds behind Nero with Morgan third( 40 mins 05.39 secs), Andrea Foster fourth and T&T’s Jenelle Nedd in fifth.
It was a race that had its start delayed by rain and challenged by traffic on the course, but president of the Athletics Association of Guyana Aubrey Hutson later told Chronicle Sport that it seemed there was a miscommunication between his body and the Guyana Police Force.
International rules dictate that road race courses be closed to vehicular traffic for the safety of the athletes, officials and other authorized personnel.
Other category winners were Mariah McKenzie in the Junior Girls in 43 mins 13.96 seconds, followed by Shontel Hinds in second, Cassie Kirton, who finished in third, almost two minutes slower and Euodia Forte in fourth.
Matthew McKenzie won the Junior Boys in 35 minutes 29.68 seconds followed by Carl McKenzie, Leon Benjamin and Samuel Domingo, with Carl McKenzie winning last year’s event in 37 minutes 43.70 seconds.
Of particular interest – last year’s junior category times were shattered as the results show and this could mean our locals significantly improved in 365 days or the markings on the course need a relook.
Alisha Fortune held onto her Masters title with a run in 50 minutes 16.28 seconds ahead of Cyrleen Phillips and Carla Benjamin., with Fortune completing last year’s course in 51 minutes 29.30 secs.
Ian Archibald (37:12.86) won the Masters 40-55 years class ahead of Robert McRae and Gary Fagundes. He was three minutes slower last year when he won (40:29:50), while Ravi Purohit (46:13:31) took the Masters 56 years and over.
Last year he finished second to Llewellyn Gardener 41: 46.50 seconds, while Purohit clocked 49 minutes 18.60 seconds for his win last year, with Carlton Stephenson finished in second and Maurice Fagundes.
A call late last night to the association, confirmed that there were glitches with the recorded times. They were to do a review of the times.
The second leg of this event will take place in Suriname on 2nd November, with the third and final in Panama on November 15th.

(By Leeron Brumell)