AAG National Cross Country race deferred

Jan 31, 2012 Sports

By Juanita Hooper

Sustained rainfall last Saturday and Sunday caused the first meet on the AAG calendar

The heavy rainfall that forced the last Sunday’s AAG National Cross Country race in the National Park to be postponed left the Park waterlogged.

to be postposed to a later date. The continuous rainfall during Saturday and Sunday turned the venue of the National Cross Country, the National Park circuit almost into a swimming pool.
The race was expected to commence at 2:30 pm, among the enthusiastic athletes who had trained diligently for the event, which would have enabled them for selection for the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Cross Country race in Trinidad and Tobago next month.
Since the cross country did not get under way last Sunday, the distance athletes will be able to tie in additional training for the event which should be held soon.
Last year podium athletes will be looking by all means to step their game up in the upcoming event to redeem themselves, while non-podium athletes will be hunting their prey as they try to defeat last year champion athletes in the different categories, which are junior girls 4km, junior boys 6km, senior women 6km and senior men 8km.
2011 senior men’s champion was Guyana’s little Kenyan, Cleveland Forde; the task was done in
25:58.4 and this year he will be looking to lower his 25 minutes to a probable 23 minutes as he proceeds in trying to qualify for this year’s Olympic Games in London.
The senior women category should see Alika Morgan and Ashanti Scott of Guyana Defence Force battling for first place in the 6km.
Junior girl 4km was claimed by National Schools’ 10km Road Race and 1500 winner, Doretta Wilson in 16:29. It was not clear if Wilson will be partaking in the race.
Nathaniel Giddings will have his final chance of retaining his title in the junior boys category at the cross country. Giddings sprinted to victory at the park last year to leave his rivals behind.