Using his trade mark sprint at the finish, Cleveland Forde took the first leg of the 2013 South American 10k championships that concluded in the National Park in Guyana on Sunday afternoon.
With the moniker “Little Kenyan”, Forde out-sprinted Grenada’s Sherwin Paul to win the event in 32 minutes, 36 seconds to take the top prize of US$1,000.
Paul clocked 32 minutes, 49 seconds for second while Kelvin “Skello” Johnson was third in 33 minutes, 23 seconds. Cleveland “Fish” Thomas was fourth with a time of 34 minutes, one second while Dennis Horatio rounded out the top five with a time of 34 minutes, 21seconds.
“It was a good race; it was challenging and I can say that I underestimate it. I thought Kelvin (Johnson) would have pushed the pace but after he did not, the Grenadian took and was going well I just had to run smart.
“I did what I would normally do in other races just wait until the end and did my thing…think I’m going to go to the next leg and try and be a bit more prepared for that,” Forde told Guyanese media after the event.
On the distaff side, drama unfolded in the women’s race as favourite Euleen Jossiah-Tanner, dropped out, allowing Grenada’s Kenisha Pascal to win the event in a time of 42 minutes, 28 seconds with Alika Morgan taking the second spot in 42 minutes, 35 seconds.
Three-time Carifta gold medalist Jevina Straker was third in 43 minutes, 18 seconds while Andrea Foster came in fourth in 44 minutes, two seconds. Ilsida Tomere was fifth in 44 minutes, 32 seconds.
Meanwhile Jossiah-Tanner stated that her reason for dropping out was due to a coach giving an athlete drinks on the course.
Linden’s Cassie Kirton won the female junior category, clocking 47 minutes, two seconds to take the event while Shauntelle Hinds was second in 51 minutes, 15 seconds.
Euodia Forte was third in 59 minutes, 48 seconds.
The boys’ junior event saw Carl Mackenzie taking top honors with a time of 37 minutes, 43 seconds to finish ahead of Kevin Nicolas (39 minutes, one second); Leon Benjamin was third in 40 minutes, 34 seconds.
The women’s Masters was won by Alisha Fortune, who clocked 51m, 29s ahead of Cyrleen Phillips who took second with a time of 52m, 32s. Carla Benjamin was third in 53m, 57s.
Eon Archibald took the men’s Master 40-55 in 40m, 29s while Llewellyn Gardner won the men’s Masters in a time of 41m, 46s.
