Guyana’s First Marathon was an enormous success

Nov 17, 2015 Sports

Guyana’s first ever Trail Marathon was an enormous success, attracting athletes from over 10 different countries. More than 200 participants and volunteers gathered in Santa Mission last weekend to witness the

Diane Henderson collects her prize from Minister Allicock for winning the female Marathon.

making of history. Guyana’s first ever, trail marathon was kick started by Toshoa Aubrey Samuels and presided over by The Minister of Indigenous People, Honorable Sydney Allicock.
While everyone else was still sleeping at 4:00 am, on Saturday, November 14, athletes from over 10 different countries gathered at the Marriott Parking lot to head over to Timehri docks. From Timehri they took speedboats on picturesque Kamuni Creek to take part in Guyana’s first ever trail Marathon and currently the only marathon in Guyana. The grueling 26.2 mile course was set in the hunting trails behind the Amerindian Village. Athletes from all over the Caribbean, Europe and North and South Americas took part in the event.
The event was extremely well organized with 12 fully staffed aid stations. Banks DIH Rainforest waters at each aid station and certain mile marks provided water. This was also Guyana’s first ever-timed event, timing provided by the organizers of Trinidad and Tobago’s marathon committee members. All finishers received medals handcrafted from Guyana’s purple-heart wood. Instead of trophies, winners of all races (Marathon, Half and 10K) received personalized handcrafted baskets from the Amerindian village.
Cleve Pile from Trinidad and Tobago was the overall winner and male category winner, with a finishing time of 4 hours and 46 minutes receiving his award from Honorable Minister Sydney

Male Marathon winner Cleve Pile (right) receives his prize from Minister Sydney Allicock.

Allicock. Dr. Ravi Purohit from India followed him in second and Dieter Max Elster from Germany coming in third.
From the Female finishers the winner was Diane Henderson also from Trinidad and Tobago, Gillian Oak from the United States coming in second, and Juanita Fernandes from Guyana coming in third.
The race included a Half Marathon with male and female winners being Charles Cosse and Lori Karker both from the United States; and a 10K race where Guyanese Jamie McDonald and Alika Morgan took the first prize baskets for male and female respectively.
The race was organized as a charity fund-raise all proceeds going towards the Santa Mission Amerindian School. Major sponsorship, as well as volunteer support was provided and organized by Marriott Guyana as well as GT&T. Other sponsors included Banks DIH, Fly Jamaica and Impressions branding. This was a historical event for Guyana, a huge confidence boost to the Amerindian community and its tourism.