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Brazilians still to confirm participation at SA 10k
Forde, Jones, Ballantyne to renew regional rivalry
Cleveland Forde
By Edison Jefford
The super-competitive Brazilian distance athletes are still to confirm their participation in the first stage of the 2009 International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) South American 10km Road Race in Guyana on Sunday.
Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Headquarters’ Secretary, Shanomae Blackmore told Kaieteur Sport yesterday that the Brazilians have indicated their readiness to compete but are currently having problems with flights to Guyana.
“They (the Brazilians) said they are coming but as to when and what time and so on, I do not have that information yet. They said they are having problems with their flight. I sent another email to them today (yesterday),” she said.
The Brazilian athletes have been a steady feature at the South American Road Race since it became an annual feature on the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) calendar seven years ago and remain one of the competitive groups.
Brazilians have dominated the first stage in the International Women’s Race while a male Brazilian has only won twice in Guyana since 2002.
Alika Morgan
Cleveland Forde, Richard Jones and Pamenos Ballantyne are strong competitors in male race.
Blackmore said that Jones from Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent and the Grenadines’ most successful distance athlete, Pamenos Ballantyne are already confirmed for Sunday’s race that returns to the YMCA commencement point.
The fifth and sixth edition of the race started and ended at the Police Sports Club ground, and it is unclear as to what may have caused the change back to the old route. It would be fair to say that it had something to do with accuracy.
Guyana’s leading distance athlete, Forde has repeatedly indicated that the YMCA course is more accurate than the one used at the Police Sports Club.
He reiterated that in a recent interview with this newspaper before his Antiguan race.
“I want them to check the course to see if it is accurate. I think it may be a little off since the times that I run at the YMCA course are much faster than the other one,” Forde stated before his departure for the Prime Minister’s 10k.
From the YMCA start line, the race will proceed along Carifesta Avenue, continue into the Rupert Craig Highway then into Clive Lloyd Drive and finish at YMCA. Forde and some other local athletes are expected to well on this course.
Pamenos Ballantyne
Those athletes include Kelvin Johnson and Lionel D’Andrade, both of whom are also yet to confirm their participation. It is likely that the Trinidad-based duo will compete since a confirmation for Ballantyne was already received.
D’Andrade, Johnson, and Ballantyne habitually travel together to compete internationally and are all likely to arrive in Guyana for the IAAF South American 10k.
Alika Morgan is expected to lead the female challenge with Jevina Straker.
The presence of the Brazilians and Trinidad and Tobago’s, Shermin Lasaldo, who is sure for the competition, is Morgan’s only threat. The local Secretariat has confirmed that the 2009 CARICOM 10k female winner, Lasaldo will compete.
The other Trinidadians that are to compete in the race are Jude La Rode and Samantha Shukla while Suriname will be sending Main Lorenzo, Valdano Sampson, Guillermo Vdenhout and Llsido Toemere to represent them.
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