Guyanese long distance campaigner Lionel D’Andrade missed out on the IAAF/ CONSUDATLE South American 10kM Classic this year, but he did cash in on an impressive performance at the Eight Annual Srefidens Marathon in Suriname on Saturday evening.
D’Andrade won the event, which took place on Saturday evening in 2 hours, 49 minutes (2:49:00) ahead of Surinamese athletes Feliksdal Carlos (3:09:00) and Guillemmo Udemhouk (3:17:00). D’Andrade told Guyana Times International Sport that he had intended to compete at the South American 10k but since the Guyana stage was held just a day after, he opted out of participation, since he knew he would have been winded after competing in the 26-mile event (42.2km), which equates to more than four times the distance of a 10km race.
Surinamese Udemhouk did manage to compete in both events, but D’Andrade said that he is focused on staying healthy to finish off the year with a few more 10km and half-marathon events.
The 30-year old D’Andrade, who placed second at that particular Marathon last year, told GTIS that he held a comfortable lead throughout the event this year.
After completing about two-thirds of the course, D’Andrade said that he felt minor cramps and decided to reduce his pace.
D’Andrade, who lives and trains in Trinidad and Tobago, said that he is not too alarmed about the cramps and will rest a few days before hitting the road again. D’Andrade said that he too had been looking forward to competing in the Suriname Stage of the South American 10km which was cancelled, but has plans to compete in other events.
D’Andrade said that he hopes to continue his campaign at Martinique’s half-marathon, followed by the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Athletics Association’s final 10km race in Grenada. He also hopes to compete at the Rio 10km race in Trinidad.
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