A ROBUST effort within a split second saw Godfrey Pollydore edging Robin Persaud at the finish line to cop the top podium spot in this year’s Ballot Box Martyrs cycle road race that was held in Berbice yesterday morning.

The journeyman crossed the finish line in the 55-mile event in a time of 2h. 12Mins: 49.52secs, forcing a dejected looking Persaud who was celebrating victory just before crossing the finish line, to settle for second position, while the defending champion Alonzo Greaves came in third.
The winner copped one prime prize, Persaud two and Greaves one, with  Michael Anthony of Linden, Orville Hinds and Walter Grant-Stewart rounding off the top six paying positions,  Hinds taking two prime prizes and Anthony and Grant-Stuart one each.
In the Veteran category, Raymond Newton crossed the finish line ahead of Berbice’s Gary Benjamin and Ian Jackson in that order, while Hosea MacAulay took the Mountain Bike category ahead of Julio Melville and Stephanoo Husbands, respectively.
With his fourth place finish, Anthony also copped the top junior category ahead of Mario King and Shaquille Agard, even as Montgomery Parris received a special prize for being the lone Over-60 cyclists to compete.
In the female category, Hazina Bharat proved to be too good for Naomi Singh, whom she edged for the top spot as Berbice’s very own Marica Dick failed to complete the journey.
The race which commenced in front of Freedom House at Main Street, New Amsterdam, proceeded to the Springlands Police Station and back to the Number 63 Village Corentyne Public road in the vicinity of the Tagore Memorial School for the finish.
The veterans, females, mountain bikes and juniors did not proceed to Springlands in the event which was sponsored exclusively by Corentyne Contractor Kris Jagdeo to mark the 40th death Anniversary of the now famous Ballot Box Martyrs.
Prior to the race, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo welcomed the cyclists to the event and told them their participation shows that history is being remembered.
“Some people like to re-write history but the mere fact that you are here to participate in this event shows that it cannot be easily done,” he said, while referring to the death of Parmanand Bholanauth and Jagan Ramesar.

ULTIMATE PRICE
At the conclusion of the race, PPP/C’s Member of Parliament Faizal Jafarally said the Martyrs paid the ultimate price so that Guyanese can enjoy democracy today.
He added, “When you rode from New Amsterdam to Corriverton, you rode to protect the democracy that they fought for; a democracy which was regained in 1992.”
He also called on those responsible for the heinous act, to cleanse their hands of the murders by telling the Guyanese public about the real reason behind the killing and called for a revelation of the persons that instructed soldiers to fire live rounds at unarmed civilians.
Director of Sports, Mr. Neil Kumar in his short address, thanked the cyclists for participating in the event and encouraged them to continue supporting the annual remembrance race. “We are one people that believe in progress,” he quipped.
The Honourable Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, in his remarks, reflected on the history of the Ballot Box Martyrs who were killed at Number 63 Village on the Corentyne on July 16, 1973, while demanding that ballots be counted at the place of poll, rather than being removed to a central point where they were altered.
He said:”Not only did the authorities in the country, at that time, denied the people of this country, democracy, but they were also ruthless and callous about how they were oppressing the people.”
The presentation of prizes were done at the memorial site of the Ballot Box Martyrs at Number 63 Village and among those present to distribute prizes to the winning cyclists  were Region 6 Chairman, Permaul Armogan, Vice-chairman, Bhupaul Jhagroo, People’s Progressive Party stalwart, Mr. Rohit Persaud and Party comrades, Sewdat Singh and Annie Singh.