CLEVELAND Thomas and Alika Morgan were the top finishers in the male and female categories of the first-ever Mexico–Guyana 20K Road Race which was an event put together by the Embassy of Mexico, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport last Sunday. The race began at 05:30hrs at Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara and ended in Brickdam, in front of the Embassy of Mexico.
Thomas completed the course in a time of one hour, nine minutes and seven seconds (1:09:07s) ahead of second-place finisher Kevin Bailey who ran 1:12:54s.
In the Open Male category, the top male finishers were Dawud Shabazz (1:13:57s) and Winston Missigher (1:15:05s) while Morgan was the only female runner to participate and she finished in a time of 1:23:11s.
In the Masters Male category, the first place went to Llewellyn Gardner (1:23), who was followed by Errol Warde (1:27:42) and Silas Brummel (1:29:54). All participants who completed the race received medals of participation.
The race was held on the occasion of the Mexican Athlete José Luis Macías Luna’s visit to Guyana. Macías has been running every day since May 1, 1989. With this 20K race in Guyana, he accumulated 94 055 kilometres, and is aiming to achieve 100 000 kilometres – a landmark which he could reach in 2013.
In order to promote long distance running in Guyana, it has been agreed that the Mexico-Guyana 20K Road Race will be an annual athletic event.
At the prize-giving ceremony, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony said he was pleased to have a 20K race in Guyana after 20 years, and he announced that the Ministry and the Athletics Association of Guyana will work on having a 5K race every month.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds expressed his appreciation to Macías and said he was happy with the efforts made in the area of sports in Guyana.
Ambassador-Designate to Guyana, Francisco Olguín, expressed his gratitude to the Government of Guyana for co-hosting this event, and said that Mexico believes that Guyana has a great future in sports, as well as in all other fields, adding that Mexico wants to be part of that future.
The closing ceremony was also attended by Neil Kumar – Director of Sport, Alfred King – Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and Colin Boyce – president of the Athletics Association of Guyana.