Forde eyes Caribbean Games

May 13, 2009 Sports

– qualifies for three events

By Edison Jefford

Cleveland Forde is perhaps the only locally-based athlete to have qualified in three events for the upcoming inaugural Caribbean Games and according to the leading performer, his preparatory work in still ongoing.

Forde has comfortably qualified for the 1500m, 5000m and half marathon, despite his expressed displeasure in competing in the latter event at the prestigious competition that is perceived as the Caribbean’s elite athletic platform.

Cleveland Forde

“I am training but not as I had expected because of the uncertain weather. I have to adapt to what I have here. I think my training has been going fine but I have to step it up a little now,” Forde told Kaieteur Sport yesterday.

The former South American Championships 5000m Under–23 champion indicated that he will most likely compete in the 1500m and 5000m races at the Caribbean Games. Forde had complained about cramps over longer distances.

He has a personal best time of 3:46.51 seconds in the 1500m that was done in Avellino in Italy, June last year where he also ran 14:16.00 in the 5000m. Both marks are well below the 3:48.00 and 14:20.00 standards set for the Games.

Forde’s profile on the International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) website recognised his personal best 1500m time in Italy but failed to cite the 5000m time maybe because he has a 14:07.08 leading time in the event.

According to the Games’ rules, the qualifying times must be achieved between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009 and the meet used should be conducted or sanctioned in harmony with the IAAF rules and competition regulations.

The half marathon has no entry standard but the regionally acceptable mark for this event is around 1:10:00 and Forde’s best mark in this event is 1:10:20 that was done at the IAAF World Half Marathon in Brazil last September.

“I think I have a good chance if I compete in two events. I am not pushing it, but athletics is like that, people can come out of nowhere and beat you; I have to be careful with what I do at the Caribbean Games,” Forde indicated.

‘The Little Kenyan’ as Forde is locally known had undergone high performance guidance at the Kip Keino Centre in Kenya on a Guyana Olympic Association scholarship. He had left in December 2004 and returned in July last year.

The exposed athlete has competed at length in Europe, South America and the Caribbean and believes he has to be clinical at the Caribbean Games. “I give myself a 50/50 chance of getting to the top of the [medal] podium,” he said.

In addition, his confidence is raging. Forde is backing himself to definitely win medals in both the 1500m and 5000m races. “As it is right now, I have to ensure that everything is right heading into my competition training,” he observed.

Guyana’s medal chances at the Games unquestionably hinge on Forde and international campaigners, Aliann Pompey and Marian Burnett. The Games’ Track and Field contest is scheduled from July 13–15 at Haseley Crawford Stadium, Trinidad.