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Forde wins fifth straight SA 10k Classic
– Grenada’s Pascal prevails in female race
By Edison Jefford
Guyana’s premier distance runner, Cleveland Forde won his fifth straight South American 10km Road Race Classic yesterday, later admitting that the race was one of his toughest battles after he underrated his opponents, who pushed him to the finish line.
The various prize winners from the South American 10km Road Race Classic pose for a photo opportunity after receiving their prizes in the National Park yesterday.
Veteran Guyanese distance runner, Kelvin ‘Skelo’ Johnson and Grenadian, Sherwin Paul became Forde’s biggest challenges in the latter half of the race, after Paul upped the ante and led Forde to the National Park where the race finished for the first time in its history.
Forde’s known ability to shift gears in the deciding moments of races once again proved his most valuable asset with about 300m left; the Guyanese distance running ace jumped Paul and the race was over for Forde, who won his fifth title in 32:36.00 seconds.
Paul was 13 seconds behind in 32:49.10 while Johnson finished in the third position in 33:23.30; Guyanese, Cleveland Thomas and Dennis Horatio was fourth and fifth in 34:01.80 and 34:21.50 respectively to round off the top five cash prizes among senior males.
The top five athletes in the senior male and female categories received lucrative cash prizes that the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), which sanctions the race, sponsors. Forde has been atop the local leg of the three-stage race since 2008.
The leaders of local distance running separated themselves from the group early in race with the barefooted Grenadian, Paul, among them. It was Nathaniel Giddings, Devaugn Barrington amid Horatio, Thomas, Forde, Johnson and Missenger early in the race.
Johnson elevated himself to pacesetter status at the 3km mark with the lead pack strung out; the race started on the Rupert Craig Highway outside the GT&T station, and made its way up to the UG access road where it turned to return to the National Park.
At the turn it was Forde, Johnson, Missenger, Paul and Thomas ahead of Barrington and Horatio, who both lagged behind. But at the 5km mark heading back to the finish, Paul increased his pace and led Forde and Johnson in a tactical battle for US$1000 and trophy.
The trio continued to press toward the finish line with Thomas and Missenger 50m behind them. The formation continued with the Grenadian leading Forde on Thomas Road and Johnson about 10m behind. The contest was sustained into the National Park with the Grenadian leading, but Forde stepped on the gas about 300 metres before the finish to secure the win.
“I wasn’t comfortable at all; I may have seemed that way, but I wasn’t. I was pushed to the brink because I think I underestimated this race, but it was good in the end,” Forde said, adding that he was forced to use his years of experience to forge another win. Forde also won the Neal & Massy Group and Courts 10km Road Races in the last eight weeks. He will most likely compete in the second and third stages in Panama and Suriname.
Grenada’s Kenisha Pascal won the female race in 42:28.80 seconds with Alika Morgan second in 42:35.50; Jevina Straker was third in 43:18.30 with Andrea Foster (44:02.60) fourth and Suriname’s Ilsida Tomere (44:32.20) fifth in the senior competition.
Guyana’s United States-based, Euleen Josiah-Tanner, who won both the Neal & Massy and the Courts 10k races, was also in the women’s contest, but complained that she collapsed under mysterious circumstances as she led into the National Park.
Linden’s Cassie Kirton won the Junior females race in 47:02.00 with Shauntelle Hinds second in 51:15.10 and Euodia Forte and Mearisha Carter third and fourth respectively in 59:48.10 and 1:03.23.
Carl McKenzie was the Junior boys winner in 37:43.70 with Kevin Nicholas second in 39:01.90 as Leon Benjamin and Micah Hartman finished third and fourth in 40:34.90 and 41:08 respectively.
Alisha Fortune won the Master’s women in 51:29.30 ahead of Cyrleen Phillips (52:32.40) and Carla Benjamin (53:57.50) respectively.
Eon Archibald won the Master’s men 40-55 years with 40:29.50 while Orin Josiah and Herald Warde was second and third in 43:18.20 and 44:30.10 in that order. In the 56 and over male category, Llewellyn Gardner came out on top with 41:46.50 as Ravi Purohit (49:18) and Maurice Fagundes (52:56.04) finished second and third.
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