President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Colin Boyce says that the National Cross Country race scheduled to be staged tomorrow is once again being held at the National Park to give spectators a better opportunity to view the race.
The National Cross Country event was reinstated in 2006 at Kuru Kuru on the Linden Highway and was held at the National Park last year.
Boyce pointed out that prior to the event’s reinstatement, cross country events were originally held at the National Park.
“The race will be held at the National Park, they have a cross country trail there, what we used to call the bumps. This used to be the original place where cross country races were held, the race only started at Kuru Kuru a few years ago,” Boyce added.
“We are taking the race back to the National Park for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is that we will be able to give spectators a better chance to view the race.”
According to Boyce the race is expected to start no later that 4pm.
Participants are asked to be present by 3pm, and will be required to pay a registration fee of $500 per person.
The competition will feature three categories; the male and female Open categories and a junior category.
Meanwhile, several of Guyana’s top distant athletes are looking forward to this first event on the AAG’s 2011 calendar.
The 2008 champion of the men’s category, Dennis Horatio has indicated that he will most definitely be hunting for a win, as 2011 is his year “to beat people.
“Last year I didn’t get a chance to run and defend my title because I was suffering from an injury, so most obviously I am looking for a win. I don’t know what will happen but I’m running to win. This year I got to beat people and I’ve started training a while back,” Horatio stated.
Since the cross country event restarted no one person holds two titles in the men’s category and Horatio made it clear that he is looking forward to being the first to record the accomplishment.
The 2008 women’s champion and Guyana’s long distance queen Alika Morgan also hinted that she might be performing in the race.
Last year injury prevented Morgan from defending her title.
Morgan is currently basking in her latest victory achieved at a 10k event held in Suriname last weekend.Speaking with Stabroek Sport yesterday, Morgan said that she participated in the race to prove a point as she was aiming to beat Surinamese Ilsida Toemere and Carolin Marlet from the Netherlands.
Last year both Toemere and Marlet had beaten Morgan in the second leg of the three-phase South American 10K event held in Suriname. Toemere finished second and Marlet, third while Morgan had finished as the fifth female at the event.
Morgan’s Rising Stars club mate Chavez Sital had also participated at the 10k in Suriname last weekend and he too is looking forward to participating in the Cross Country event tomorrow.
“I’ve been training for the cross country, and the 10k in Suriname [last weekend] that will help me some. At the 10k I placed fourth overall but I wasn’t too happy with my timing, I finished the race in 37:02s,” Sital said.
The 2006 men’s champion at the cross county event Lionel D’Andrade, who trains and lives in Trinidad, has also confirmed with Stabroek Sport that he will be participating in the race tomorrow.
