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‘I don’t think he will be a threat’
By Edison Jefford
Pamenos Ballantyne is a sleeper that will take a few hits here and there but when it comes to the big stage, the St Vincent and Grenadines athletics distance star rises to the occasion like the sun in the East on a lucent morning.
Ballantyne cannot be underestimated with his known regional track record despite recent losses to Guyana’s Kelvin Johnson, at a meet in Trinidad and Tobago two weekends ago and Cleveland Forde at the South American 10km.
Flashback!!! Pamenos Ballantyne (right) leads Brazilian Altis Gustaro, Cleveland Forde and Trinidadian Richard Jones during last year’s South American 10K which Forde won.
The Olympian and nine-time Trinidad International Marathon winner told Kaieteur Sport in an interview yesterday, that he has a good relationship with Forde but will not consider him a threat in the upcoming CARICOM 10km race.
“Cleveland is my friend and I want to give him a lot of credit. He is young but despite the CARICOM race would be held in Guyana this year, I don’t think he will be a threat. I have a lot of experience,” Ballantyne indicated via telephone.
The athlete was speaking to this newspaper from Trinidad and Tobago. He was scheduled to return to his home island yesterday, but said that his manager thought that he should be in Trinidad a little longer for more preparation.
“I am training hard and I expect that I run a good race. I have some races in Trinidad and Barbados before the CARICOM 10k. I do not want to train my mind for one race, however,” the defending CARICOM 10k champion stated.
The CARICOM race is slated for Guyana on July 26 and a host of top regional distance athletes are expected to descend here.
These may very well include Richard Jones, Curtis Cox, Jules La Rode along with Ballantyne.
Guyana’s chances of a clean sweep of the male and female titles rest on the shoulders of defending female champion, Alika Morgan, while male campaigners, Forde, Johnson and Lionel D’Andrade are leading title contenders.
“It will definitely be close that is why I am training so hard. It will be a good race. I will not take anything for granted. I always have a game plan. Its nothing new, I will just go out there according to how I feel,” Ballantyne continued.
He said that his performance will be based on the work he has put in and whether or not that is sufficient to give him a win is yet to be seen.
“You have to perform according to your body. I am training and training hard,” he reiterated.
Ballantyne said that his training regiment is more long term because he has to also focus on the upcoming Caribbean Games for his country. Does that mean that his participation at CARICOM 10km race is mere preparation? Who knows?
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