– Gopilall dominates field in 40KM

DISTRICT 10 (Upper Demerara/Kwakwani) cyclist Abigail Jeffrey won the 16 ½ (25KM) laps female open cycling final yesterday morning around the National Park while District Six (Corentyne) rider Ajay Gopilall dominated the field to win the male 27 laps (40KM) race.

The two events, which peddled off the 58th edition of the National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships, had the riders battling in the rain.

FEMALE BATTLE
In the female race, it was a three-way encounter between Jeffrey, District 15’s (New Amsterdam) Shenika Tiexeira (who competed for District 6 last year) and District 6’s Rosheka Crawford.   In the initial stage, Shabina Ramoo (District 6) was in the pack, but she did not keep up with the pace.  The three racers, who were inches apart, constantly increased their lead and looked ready for a final lap battle, but with three laps to go, multiple time winner Tiexeira fell.  The front wheel of the defending champion’s bike reportedly hit the back wheel of the eventual winners’ bike on the turn near the park’s eastern parking lot.

By the next lap, the 18-year-old eventual winner had taken a sizable lead, but 14-year-old Crawford managed to keep things close and was neck and neck with her by the final lap. The pair continued battling until the last 200 metres when Jeffrey pulled away to finish in 52:25.  Crawford ended five seconds after at 52:31.85, while Ramoo, who was not far behind, finished third in 54:46.40. District 15’s Affia Hartman finished fourth.

TOTAL DOMINANCE
Seventeen-year-old Gopilall led as soon as he peddled off and he never looked back in the male race.  The United We Stand Cycle Club/Independence Three-Stage Cycle Road Race junior winner (May 2018) increased his pace at every lap and the group that tried to stay with him started to thin out.  Soon the Corentyne Comprehensive High School student was all alone and he began to lap most of the other riders, while maintaining his pace.

Fellow District six rider, Ralph Seenarine, finished a distant second, while District 15’s Donavan Fraser finished third.

Cycling is set to continue today at the same venue.