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Forde on historic SA 10k course
Cleveland Forde
-next stop, Panama
By Edison Jefford
Cleveland Forde has moved closer to scripting his name in the annals of the International Association of Athletics Federations South American (SA) 10km Road Race history with his emphatic win at the Second Stage in Suriname.
Forde is already the most successful athlete in the First and Second Stages of the race and if all goes according to script, and he participates and wins the Third Stage in Panama on November 15, he will become the only athlete to win all three stages.
The ‘Little Kenyan’ as he is often referred to, is as optimistic about his prospects in Stage Three as never before. Forde has never competed in the SA 10k Third Stage in Panama but that could change in a matter of days.
“The AAG (Athletics Association of Guyana) is working on getting me to Panama and I am corresponding with them,” Forde told Kaieteur Sport following his return yesterday from Suriname, where he performed better than Guyana.
Forde had won the First Stage of the South American race at home in Guyana in 33:27.3, but returned 32:46.75 at the Second Stage in Suriname last weekend. He had also won the two stages last year in a similar emphatic manner.
The 24-year-old said that Panama would be greater competition but that would only bring out the best in him. Forde further noted that he has been longing for a competitive race to help push him to the limit of his fitness in a fast time.
“I would look at Panama like any other race. Once the weather is good, I’ll be looking to run a fast time. It has been a long time since I have had a competitive race. More intensity is always better for me,” the fearless competitor held.
Forde said while he anticipates track races to be more competitive, it is a plus when, as an athlete, you have a similar amount of competitiveness on the road. The local distance star disclosed that he can further improve in Panama.
“I would wish for competitiveness on the road. It would be good for me. Any athlete will look to run good times. While my focus is still on the track, I still would like to run good times on the road,” the ‘Little Kenyan’ reiterated.
“The way I structure my training is to prepare me for this. I focus more on endurance and strength, knowing that speed will come. I learnt that in Kenya,” he continued ahead of his possible third weekend of competitive 10k runs.
Asked to analyse his strategy at Sunday’s Suriname Stage, after only competing the week before in Guyana, Forde informed that he allowed Brazilian Elieso Da Silva, who placed second on both stages, to set the pace early in the race.
“I saw that the Brazilian had an intention to run a fast race because he came out and went straight to the front very quickly. He kept the pace for like 3km then he dropped back. At that point, I took over and he joined me,” Forde explained.
“I checked the clock at the 5km point and I thought we were going fast based on the pace he set early, but I saw 16 minutes on the clock and then I knew we were way off running a fast race. I just concentrated on winning after then,” he added.
Forde did not compete in the gruelling 10k race in 2007 after winning in 2006. He placed second in 2005 and third the year before. A win in Panama would crown an extraordinary performance this year and definitely create history.
Forde also won the CARICOM 10km Road Race and Antiguan Prime Minister 10k Road Race among his dominant performances. He is leading the Caribbean in distance running and should land at least ‘Sportsman of the Year’ nomination.
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