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Bartica Cycling Challenge Briton John commanding in historic triumph; Gopilall, Hicks, Collins, Boodram and Teixeira also ink names in history books
By Franklin Wilson
Director of Sports Christopher Jones presenting the Veteran winner, SEgun Hubbard with his cash prize.
What has been hailed a resounding success with the community already yearning for more, saw United We Stand Cycle Club’s Briton John recording a commanding win in the feature 35-lap (42 mile) race
yesterday when the historic/inaugural Bartica Cycling Challenge Road Race was contested.
A total of 38 of the nation’s best athletes in the business faced starters orders and were sent on their way by Mayor of Bartica Gifford Marshall in the presence of Director of Sport Christopher J\ones and President of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Horace Burrowes, among other officials just outside the Bartica Police Station.
What turned out to be a challenging route especially a 150m (in distance) hill that is situated on 8th street with a gradient of between 7% to 8% resulted in most of the starters being unable to master the climb thus, fell out of the reckoning, only eight (8) including the Different Able Walter Grant-Stuart inked their names in the history as completing the distance.
For his sterling and gutsy performance, Grant-Stuart was presented with a special cash reward from the People of Bartica.
Mayor Gifford Marshall, Director of Sport Christopher Jones and President of the GCF Horace Burrowes take a photo with the prize winners following the presentation.
On a sun drenched day which saw hundreds of Bartcians and visitors to the Town from Berbice, Linden and the City, the youths in their saddles stole the show, Nineteen-year-old John stopped the clock in the feature race at 2 Hours 22 Minutes 52.86 Seconds to win with over a minute ahead of Curtis Dey (Trojan Cycle Club), Rastaff Oselmo (Linden Bauxite Flyers CC), Michael Anthony (Linden Bauxite Flyers CC), Paul De Nobrega (Evolution CC) and Marcus Keiler (Team Coco’s) closing out the top six.
Briton John wins the feature race yesterday in the historic Bartica Cycling Challenge.
John pocketed the first place prize of $150,000 with $70,000, $40,000, $30,000, $20,000 and $10,000 going to Dey, Oselmo, Anthony, De Nobrega and Keiler, respectively. Such was the dominance and grit of John that he lapped De Nobrega and Keiler in storming to victory watched by his mother.
Setting the day off to a breathtaking start was Trojan Cycle Club’s Ajay Gopilall who stormed to victory in the Junior class, the manner in which he wrapped up the win was as commanding as John.
Top Junior Ajay Gopilall being rewarded by Director of Sports, Christopher Jones. Ralph Seenarine is at left with David Hicks, right.
The 17 year-old Gopilall mastered the climbing of the same hill and many who saw him said he did so with consummate ease given his wire-like frame. He won his category well ahead of Ralph Seenarine and David Hicks. The three were each presented with cash in the sum of $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.
The top six senior riders pose with Mayor Marshall (right), Deputy Mayor Aretha Embleton, Director of Sport Chris Jones (2nd left) and GCF President Horace Burrowes, left after receiving their prizes.
Ruling the roost in the Juvenile category was David Hicks of United We Stand CC, he timed his sprint to perfection to win from Sherwin Sampson and Steve Bhimsen. Trojan Cycle Club’s Shenika Teixeira was the top female in their race, crossing the line ahead of Deance Welch and Selena Stevens of Bartica. The Mountain bike contest went to Shane Boodram of Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club who relegated Ozia Maculay to the 2nd place with Jamari Sharpe, third.
Ruling the roost in the Masters division was Evolution Cycle Club’s Segun Hubbard who put away two stalwarts in this class, Junior Niles and Raymond Newton. For his efforts he won $20,000 with Niles and Newton pocketing, $15,000 and $10,000.
Female winner, Shenika Teixeira being rewarded in the presence of Deance Welch (right) and Selena Stevens.
There were a number of races for cyclists in Bartica, results to follow in tomorrow’s edition. Mayor Marshall has expressed profound gratitude to all and sundry for making yesterday’s inaugural Bartica Cycling Challenge a ‘huge success’.
Whilst extending thanks to the Commander and Ranks of the Bartica Police Station for a classy job in controlling traffic which led to an incident free day on one of the busiest day in the Town, Mayor Marshall thanked the following entities and individual for partnering with the Town Council to pull off an event that certainly is the first of many more to come; Regional Democratic Council, Speed Boat Association, Lions Club, Hopkinson Mining, Pooran’s Waste Disposal, Limpy Lotto, RMB Investment Inc., and Gary Young.
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