Forde repossesses Courts 10k title

Sep 21, 2015 Sports

– Josiah-Tanner rules the roost

Cleveland Forde put in a scintillating performance yesterday morning to repossess the Courts 10km Road Race title he surrendered last year in the male category when he did not compete in the race owed to the virus Chikungunya.
The event that started and ended in front of Courts’ Main Street Branch reportedly had its largest turnout of over 150 entrants in the history of the event, owed mainly to the continued marketing efforts of the Courts team.

Courts Country Manager, Clyde de Haas (centre) takes a photo opportunity with all the winners from the various categories of the Courts 10km Road Race and 3km Walk/Jog yesterday morning.

Forde finished the race in 32:45, cruising to a comfortable victory ahead of Cleveland Thomas, who finished in 32:58. Thomas won his first major 10km title in the absence of Forde last year. Winston Missenger was third in 33:01 and Kelvin Johnson fourth in 33:17. Nathaniel Giddings (34:01) rounded out the top five finishers among the men.
The top five finishers along with junior distance athlete, Matthew McKenzie quickly broke away from the pack on the upward journey around the Russian Embassy.
Thomas, Missenger and McKenzie seemed intent on disrupting the plans of Forde, who looked at ease with their efforts. It did not work, and around the Guyana Defence Force, Camp Ayanganna on the way back to the finish line, Thomas led with Johnson, Forde and Missenger trailing in a bunch.
Thomas and Forde left the group at Camp and Lamaha Streets before Forde, who expressed after the race that he was struggling with his hamstring, changed gears as usual at New Market and Main Streets to repossess the Courts 10km title.
In the female category, Euleen Josiah-Tanner ruled the roost to defend her title. The 40-year old Tanner won in 39:39, after leading from the start. Tanner is the only Guyanese woman, who has dipped under the 40-minute mark this year.
Andrea Foster was second in 42:17, while Alika Morgan, who finished fourth overall for females, was third in the Open category with 44:38. Junior, Shantel Hinds was the third female overall to cross the finish line, but competed in the Junior category.
Alicia Jack was fourth in the Open race (5th overall) in 45:51, while Shion Boyer rounded out the top five female Open athletes in 47:31.
In the junior male category, McKenzie won in 34:36. Odwin Tudor was second in 37:45, while Samuel Lynch was third in 38:36. Hinds won the Junior Female Category in 44:08 after, as was said earlier, finishing an impressive third overall among females.
Simona Lawrence from the Rupununi was second among the juniors, finishing with a time of 48: 33 while Maria McKenzie was third in a time of 56:48. Llewellyn Gardner won the male masters race, while Cyrlene Phillips won the female category.
At the Presentation Ceremony, held immediately after the event, Courts Country Manager, Clyde De Haas was impressed with the turnout of participants.
“Congratulations to everybody and this type of turnout gives us more inspiration to make this event bigger and better and we are already in talks to see how we can do so,” De Haas informed before congratulating all the various winners.