TEAM Gillette Evolution’s Marlon `Fishy’ Williams won the Wilbert Benjamin 4th annual 50-mile cycle road race, which was staged on the Corentyne Coast, Berbice on Sunday and attracted most of the country’s leading cyclists.Williams’ time for the event which was the first 50-mile race for the 2016 season was one hour 54 minutes 25.49 seconds.
Second place went to veteran rider, 41-year-old Robin Persaud, while his (Williams) team mates Orville Hinds and Raul Leal placed third and fourth respectively.
Shaquel Agard was fifth and Team Alanis’ Paul DeNobrega sixth.
Of the eight prime prizes that were on offer, rising star Akeem Wilkinson won four, while Leal won three and DeNobrega one.
After being sent on their way from outside the Benjamin’s Sport Store by former New Amsterdam Mayor and Patron of the Flying Ace Cycle Club, Errol Alphonso, more than 40 starters jostled for position in the very hot sun and made their way to Number 51 Village on the Corentyne Coast. Wilkinson led all the way up thereby winning the first four prime prizes.
It was not until approximately 15 miles remained in the race that Leal, Cho-Wee-Nam, Junior Niles and a few others started to close in on Wilkinson and eventually, Persaud and Williams connected to him while the remainder of the peloton was split.
The second peloton connected to Cho-Wee-Nam, Niles and Leal and thereafter there were several attempted attacks but not enough to catch up with Persaud and Williams, who, on connecting to Wilkinson, continued their momentum and opened a sizeable lead. They worked in tandem all the way to the finish but Williams was able to prevail over his much older opponents.
In other results, Raphael Leung won the junior category ahead of Berbicians Andrew Hicks and Romelo Crawford respectively.
The female category was won by Berbician Whitney Poyer. Second was fellow Berbician Shemicka Teixeira.
The Under-16 age group category was dominated by Berbicians Zaman Fehon, Kenovan Collins and Chemedswar Dyamac respectively.
In the veterans’ category, Persaud, by virtue of placing second overall, was named champion of the category.
The other top five positions were occupied by Junior Niles, Paul Cho-Wee-Nam, Jaikarran Sukhai, Ralph Williams and Clement Doris respectively.
The presentation of prizes to the respective winners was done by former Mayor of New Amsterdam Errol Alphonso and Director of Sport Christopher Jones.
In brief remarks, both Jones and Alphonso congratulated all the participants and were high in praise for the organiser of the event, Randolph Roberts and the sponsor Wilbert Benjamin.
The residents of the Fyrish who came out in their numbers to witness the event were promised better facilities for sports in the community by the Director of Sport, who informed residents of a special fund that is set aside for community development.

By Michael DaSilva