Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM
Wilson, Giddings, Forde, Morgan top Cross Country race
The various prize winners in the National Cross Country race pose for a photo opportunity with President of the AAG, Colin Boyce (right) and General Secretary, Claude Blackmore (left) at the National Park yesterday.
By Edison Jefford
Region Nine’s, Doretta Wilson, Linden’s Nathanie Giddings and Georgetown’s Cleveland Forde and Alika Morgan emphatically topped the four categories of the National Cross Country Race at the outer grass circuit of the National Park Sunday afternoon.
National Schools’ 10km Road Race and 1500m winner, Wilson continued her domination with a comfortable win in the 4km Junior Girls’ race in 16:29 while Andrea Foster was second in 16:45 and Adana Roberts third in the category with 17:04.5 seconds.
Giddings, who was rewarded with a national selection last year following his performance in the South American 10km Road Race ensured that the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) affix their eyes on him again with his win in the 6km Junior Boys race.
Giddings won a mental battle against Region Nine’s, Hezron Pedro in the last 800m, sprinting to victory before an impressive crowd. Pedro was second and Grant third in times that could not be ascertained owed to the malfunction of the time keeping watch.
In the Senior Male race, Forde surged past Dennis Horatio and Wilbert Mingo at around the 7km mark to take a commanding win in 25:54.8 with Police Progressive Youth Club’s Horatio second in 26:16 and Guyana Defence Force’s, Mingo (26:27) third.
Trinidad and Tobago-based national distance runner, Lionel D’Andrade, Cleveland Thomas and Horatio had taken an early lead in the race after approximately 2km. Forde and Mingo joined the group after the first lap, which measured 3km in distance.
However, after the second lap, 6km, D’Andrade was apparently dropped. Later he told Kaieteur Sport that he injured his ankle in a hole along the course and was forced to discontinue the event because of the severe pain he was experiencing due to the injury.
Following D’Andrade’s omission from contention, Thomas was also left behind and the battle in the top category of the race was among Forde, Horatio and Mingo with the latter two leading the challenge up until Forde turned on the heat around the 7km mark.
D’Andrade, who was looking in good form after winning a 10km Road Race in Suriname before competing in the Cross Country, expressed disappointment over the development. He said that it is hoped that the injury is not as serious to affect his 2011 Season.
Morgan, who also won in Suriname two weeks ago, continued her return to form with her win in 23:10 seconds in the Senior Women 6km category of the race. Ashanti Scott was third in 26:46.8 while no third place was given in the marquee group.
President of the AAG, Colin Boyce had told this newspaper last week that the race will be one of the major platforms to select Guyana’s national team to compete in the North American, Central American and Caribbean Cross Country race in Tobago next month.
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