District 10 (Upper Demerara/Kwakwani) and District 6 (Corentyne), dominated the male and female categories respectively of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) 55th annual cycling championships which got underway yesterday on the East Coast of Demerara.Riding in brilliant sunshine, District 10 dominated the boys’ category of the 40K event, taking the top three spots on the podium, while in the female 25K category, District 6 was dominant, occupying the top spot, while District 10 took the other two top positions.
Seasoned riders from national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed’s `Teach Them Young’ cycle programme were among the top six finishers in the boys category, so too were the top two finishers in the girls’ category.
The boys’ event was won by District 10’s Akeem Arthur in a time of 1 hour 4 minutes.2 seconds.
Second and third places were won by Arthur’s Districts mates Silvio Inniss and Shaquil Agard.
South Georgetown’s (District 13) Jamaul John placed fifth while District 11’s (North Georgetown) had to settle for fifth place.
The record holder of the boy’s 40K race is Raul Leal (District 13) who covered the distance in 1 hour 1 minute .53 seconds in 2012.
In the girls’ category, Corentyne’s (District 6) Whitney Poyer romped home an easy winner of the 25Km race ahead of District 10’s Niomi Alsoop and Olesa.
Poyer’s time for the race was 56 minutes, 48.02 seconds, but District 10’s Marica Dick is still the record holder, having clocked 48 minutes .39 in 2012.
The cycling aspect of the annual event will continue today at the Providence National Stadium with 14 track races for both boys and girls and will climax on Friday at the same venue when the overall District winner of the championships will be announced.
Among the cycle events carded for today at the National Stadium are; 1000-metre boys and girls open, 1000-metre boys and girls under 16 years of age, 1000-metre boys and girls under 14 years of age, 2000 metres boys and girls open, 2000 metres boys and girls under 16 years of asge2000 metres boys under 14 and 16 years of age and 400 metres for girls and boys under 14 years of age.
The official opening ceremony of the 55th annual event will get underway from 10:00 hrs at the Providence National Stadium.

By Michael DaSilva