Local athletics duo leave for CAC C/ships

Jul 21, 2010 Sports

– to meet US-based athletes in Puerto Rico

The only local athlete on the national Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Track and Field team, Cleveland Forde and CAC athletics manager, Branford Burke departed Guyana early this morning, and will meet the other United States-based athletes in San Juan.

Distance runner, Cleveland Forde (left) and Branford Burke pose for Kaieteur Sport at Olympic House yesterday before the duo departed for the CAC Games where they will join six other US-based athletes in Puerto Rico.

Burke told Kaieteur Sport yesterday at Olympic House that they are expected to meet three of the six US-based Guyanese athletes, Aliann Pompey, Adam Harris and Marian Burnett in San Juan, Puerto Rico before being transported to the Games city, Mayagüez.

He said that Lee Prowell and Gordon McKenzie will arrive tomorrow night while Devon Bond is expected in Mayagüez on Friday. The arrival of the athletics team was staggered because the US-based representative athletes were flying out of different states.

The CAC athletics competition is expected to commence on Saturday. Forde told this newspaper yesterday that he hopes to do well though he did not do as much track work as he was expecting because of the high grass and swampy National Park track.

“I was able to train but not how I wanted to. I made the best with what I had and I am going there to do my best as well. I am just going to do what I do best which is run,” Forde, who will contest the male 1500m and 5000m events, informed at Olympic House.

The local distance athlete, who is a former 5000m and 10000m junior CAC bronze medallist, is of the view that he will do well because of his exposure and experience. Forde indicated that his aim will be to run a “smart” and “tactical” race against his opponents.