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SUNDAY CHRONICLE November 8, 2015
Genuine gold medals up for grabs in today’s South American 10k …Forde, Josiah-Tanner seeking back-to-back wins
By Michael DaSilva GUYANA’S Cleveland `The Little Kenyan’ Forde and Euleen Josiah-Tanner will be seeking to register backto-back victories in the male and female categories respectively of the second leg of the South American 10K road race which runs off this afternoon from 15:00 hrs from outside the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s Earth Station, Carifesta Avenue. The two locals won their respective categories when the first leg of the three-stage event was held in Suriname one week ago. As an added bonus to the top three prize monies, for both the male and female categories, genuine gold medals will be up for grabs. The Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) in a release late yesterday did not state who will be sponsoring the gold or how much the weight of the gold would be. Forde who seems to be in tremendous form at the
moment, won last Sunday’s first leg in Suriname in a time of 31 minutes 54 seconds (31:54), while Tanner’s win-
EULEEN JOSIAH-TANNER ning time was 39:43. Forde who had a threeand-one-half years’ training stint at the Kip Keno High Altitude Training Centre in Kenya will have as his main rival Kennette Rotich, a born and bred Kenyan athlete who has been residing in Trinidad and Tobago for the past two
months and whose request to be a part of today’s stage of the race was accepted by the Athletic Association of Guyana. Tanner’s main challenge will come from Trinidad and Tobago’s Tonya Nero who defeated her (Tanner) on these very shores last year when the first stage was held here. Nero also has several victories over Tanner over the past few years – at the Caribbean level. Both Rotich and Nero were not a part of last Sunday’s first leg in Suriname. Over the past few days, local athletes and coaches have voiced their opinion about Rotich being a part of the event since he is not a South American or Caribbean citizen, and had planned a protest against his participation in the event. However, Athletic Association of Guyana’s (AAG) president Aubrey Hutson said the race will go on regardless of protest by athletes, fans or sporting enthusiasts. Contacted for a comment on Friday, Forde said
while it is true that a protest is planned, he will be a part of today’s activity and he fully knows that Rotich will be his main rival, but he (Forde) feels he can upstage the Kenyan. “Regardless of the protest, I’ll go ahead with the races…I need competition to up my standard and move on to greater heights,” Forde stated. Apart from Forde and Ritoch, keen competition is also expected from Jamaican Richard Green and Forde’s countryman Cleveland Thomas who placed second and third respectively in last Sunday’s first stage of the 10K race. Josiah-Tanner and Nero will also have to be wary of Guyana’s Andrea Fortune who placed second to Tanner in the first leg of the event one week ago. After leaving the earth Station at 15:00 hrs today, the athletes will run up the East Coast carriageway to Turkeyen before turning back to finish in the National Park.
The winner in both the male and female categories will pocket US$1000, while
CLEVELAND FORDE the second and third place runners will receive US$800 and US$500 respectively. But the first male and female Guyanese to cross the finish line will earn an additional US$500. A total of 72 athletes will vie for genuine eighth pennyweight gold medals along a first place prize of US$1000.
The race will feature athletes from Peru, one of which is a born Kenyan as well as athletes from Suriname, Grenada and Trinidad. A Trinidad based Kenyan is also expected to be a part of the Trinidadian contingent. Hudson noted yesterday that, “all systems are in place as the route has already been demarcated”. Technical delegate from Trinidad Allan Babolall highlighted that he was pleased with the route and expects brilliant competition come race day. Meanwhile, some of the foreign athletes expressed confidence in themselves to win the event. Ilsida Tomere of Suriname noted that she has prepared well along with her colleagues as they aim to perform at their best. Tomere is also an Inter Guiana Games (IGG) gold medalist. Boaz Lorupe of Peru also noted his confidence to come out victorious as they aim to go fast against their Guyanese counterparts.
Banks DIH teams up with South American Half Marathon and Guyana Trail Marathon
President of the AAG Aubrey Hudson receives the sponsorship package on behalf of his organisation while Aubrey Samuels Tousho of Santa Mission and Race Director Sevak Tsaturyan of the Trail Marathon received theirs from Errol Nelson, Rain Forest Water Brand Manager while other members of the two organisations share the moment.
BANKS DIH Limited has teamed up with the organisers of the South American Half Marathon and the first ever Guyana Trail Marathon as the main beverage provider. The local beverage giant has provided sponsorship through its Powerade and Rain Forest Water brands for the two prestigious events which will see both local and international athletes participating. The sponsorship packages were handed over to officials of the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG ) and Guyana Trail Marathon during a simple ceremony at Thirst Park last Friday. Communications Manager of Banks DIH Limited Troy Peters said both events will showcase Guyana to the world and the Company has continued to demonstrate its commitment to supporting
athletics in Guyana. He said are athletes and officials participating in the 13th Annual South American 10K road race scheduled for today and the Guyana Marathon and Half Marathon next Saturday will be hydrated with top quality products.
The South American Half Marathon will take place today from the GT&T Earth Station on Carifesta Avenue at 15:00 hrs with a finish at the National Park. The Trail Marathon will take in the Amerindian Community of Santa Mission.
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday November 08, 2015) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512)
Answers to yesterday’s quiz: 30 runs at 7.50 runs per innings 25 players
Today’s Quiz:
Which SL player scored most runs in the just-concluded WI/SL ODI series? Which WI player scored most runs in the just-concluded WI/SL ODI series?
Answers in tomorrow’s issue