MICHAEL ANTHONY is the new Kadir Mohamed Memorial 80-Mile champion, after he outsprinted his more seasoned rivals to take the top spot under sweltering heat yesterday, registering a time of 3h. 19mins:26secs, to take the top prize of one ounce of smelted gold as well as one of ten prime prizes along the way.Some 45 cyclists took to the course, and from the first wave of the flag, Anthony, Colombian Reuben Companioni, 2013 winner Paul DeNobrega, Christopher Holder, Robin Persaud, Junior Niles and other seasoned riders took the lead.
They would set a pace and never look back, breaking away from the bunch around Diamond, on the way to the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, where they would continue their dominance, switching from left lane to right and back as they gauged

each other’s endurance, strength and speed.
Along the highway, the Veterans Under and Over 45 years classes and Youths/Juveniles would turn in the vicinity of Splashmin’s and head back for the finish line, for which Niles emerged as the Under-45 winner, with Stephen Fernandes in second place, the duo leading the way to the line.
Niles registered a time of 2 hours 17 mins 08 seconds to take victory along with two prime prizes, even as Ian ‘Dumb Boy’ Jackson won the Veterans over 45-years class in 2 hours 24 mins 28 seconds, ahead of Kennard Lovell and Linden Blackman, while Raphael Leung in 2 hours 22 mins 16 seconds won the youth/juveniles class ahead of Jornel Yearwood.
The battle continued along the highway in the Open class as the peloton headed for Dora, with eight riders Anthony, Companioni, DeNobrega, Robin Persaud, Alonzo Ambrose, Chris Holder, Mark Harris and Mario King, upfront and not giving an inch to anyone.
They would try to outdo each other along the East Bank Carriageway onto Mandela Avenue, but the race was decided only on Homestretch Avenue with a sprint to the finish, where Anthony claim glory ahead of Companioni.
DeNobrega placed third, followed by Persaud, Alonzo Ambrose, Holder, Mark Harris and Mario King in that order, rounding out the top eight places in the Open category.
After the race, Anthony said he was pleased with the win.
“I’m happy with the win. It just shows how fit I am for the 5-stage and I feel pretty confident about it.’
With the National five stages starting in a matter of days, he said there is not much he can do to improve on his performance, but he however has a goal to become stronger as he moves up to the senior ranks next year.
The third annual event was held in memory of the late Kadir Mohamed, a sports enthusiast, who passed away several years ago and his family is using the event to keep his memory alive and through it, they hope to develop the talents of locals as well as to attract new blood to the sport, particularly in Bartica, where the family resides.

(Leeron Brumell)