AKEEM Wilkinson won his maiden feature 35-lap cycle race, yesterday, when national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed staged the 5th Annual Banks DIH sponsored Malta Supreme 11-cycle race programme around the inner circuit of the National Park.Wilkinson who returned a time of one hour, 17 minutes 24.94 seconds also won two of the eight prime prizes that were up for grabs, while McKay who finished very close with second won two prime prizes.
The other top four places were occupied by Alonzo Ambrose, Paul Cho-Wee-Nam, Michael Anthony and veteran rider Stephen Fernandes.
Ambrose and Cho-Wee-Nam also won two prime prizes each.
The race went off at a fiery start and Anthony opened a sizeable lead after the first lap but he was not able to maintain it as he was `balled in’ during the third lap by McKay, Fernandes, Ambrose and Wilkinson and was subsequently dropped.
Fernandes stayed with the leaders for another two laps but he too was dropped and his place up front taken over by Cho-Wee-Nam.
Together the quartet rode in tandem and immediately established an approximately 50-metre lead on the chasing pack which was headed by Robin Persaud.
However, after working together for a few more laps, the leaders extended their lead and after completing 14 laps the lead was somewhere about 300 metres and this extended to approximately 800 metres by the end of the 28th lap.
With two laps remaining, the lead extended to more than 1000 metres and on receiving the bell signalling the final lap, Cho-Wee-Nam surged ahead of the other three, but was overtaken on the back stretch by Ambrose.
As the four leaders reached approximately 300 metres from the finish line, Anthony attacked but was followed by the others and overtaken in the home- stretch by McKay, however, Wilkinson came on the outside and pipped him (McKay) by a fraction on the line.
Prior to making the presentation of prizes to the respective winners, Banks DIH’s Malta Supreme Brand Manager Colin King said he was glad to be a part of the activity and his company is pleased to be associated with it.
He said Banks DIH is committed to assist with the development of sports in Guyana and moreso, cycling. He promised Banks DIH’s continued assistance to the activity.
Race organiser Hassan Mohamed thanked all the participants for their participation, and noted that Banks DIH, through its outdoor events manager Mortimer Stewart has committed to sponsoring five cycle meets each year. He said yesterday’s activity is the second the beverage company has sponsored for 2014.
In other results, Jaleal Jackson won the BMX Boys and Girls three-lap event ahead of Omesh Leonard.
Shameer Baksh was the winner of the veterans’ under-50 five-lap race. He finished ahead of Marc Sonoram and Wasim Hasneo respectively.
Linden Blackman won the veterans’ over-50 five-lap event, while Monthy Parris and Maurice Fagundes was first and second respectively in the veterans’ over-60 five-lap affair.
Anthony won the juveniles 10-lap event ahead of Ambrose and Raphael Leung respectively, while Keon Thomas, Emmanuel Gay Raul, and Julio Melville placed first, second and third respectively in the five-lap race for mountain bikers.
The BMX Boys six to nine years old two-lap race was won by Sherwin Sampson ahead of Shay Sue Hang and Alexander Leung respectively.
Sampson also won the BMX Boys nine – 12 years old three-lap race ahead of Kristoff Austin and Taran Garbarran respectively.
The three-lap race for BMX Boys open was won by Adrian Sharma. Second was Keron Rutherford and third Kemroy Moses.
Written By Michael DaSilva