By Emmerson Campbell
National cycling coach Hassan Mohammed and the De Sinco Trading Company yesterday teamed up to pedal off a successful 11-race cycling meet at the National Park circuit, Thomas Lands.
The meet, which was basically a `Teach Them Young’ programme, attracted boys, girls, seniors and veteran riders from age six to above 60.
The programme’s feature race, the 35-lap Schoolboys and Invitational race, was dominated by riders from Linden.
The Lindeners they took full advantage of the absence of the national cyclists who are currently in Jamaica participating in the Caribbean Championships.
Out of the top six finishers, the cyclists from the mining town earned the top five spots.
Mark Lewis who won the event in one hour, 17 minutes and 31 seconds.
Lewis led Orville Hinds, Raymond Newton, Rastaff O’ Selmo and Michael Anthony respectively to complete the Linden domination.
Junior Niles was the sixth place finisher. Prime prizes for the race went to Hinds, Newton, O’Selmo and Albert Philander.
In other races, Jamal Arthur won the BMX boys’ nine-to-12 years, three laps’ race ahead of Jobnick LaRose and Deeraj Garbaram respectively.
The BMX boys’ three laps’ race in the 12 to 14 years category, was won by Adrian Sharma with Christopher Griffith, second and Deeraj Garbaram, third.
Hamza Eastman took top honours in the three laps, BMX boys’ Open race ahead of Ricardo Sharma and Cleveland King.
In the 12 to 14 years, boys and girls’ three-lap race, Silvio Innis, Randy Haynes and Alfie Sonaram were the top three finishers respectively. The winning time was seven minutes and eight seconds.
The five laps veterans under 50 years race was won by Newton in a time of 12 minutes and 11 seconds.
Newton also took away the prime prize.
Turhan Harris was second and Junior Niles third.
In the five laps veterans over 50-years race, Kirkwood Kellman registered a winning time of 12 minutes and 40 seconds ahead of Wilfred Thomas.
Top over 60 years veteran Maurice Fagundes pedaled away from Harry Lall and Anthony Fariah who were second and third respectively. Fagundes’s winning time for the five lap event was 12 minutes and 45 seconds.
Michael Anthony won the juveniles 10-lap race in 28 minutes and 31 seconds ahead of second and third place finishers Akeem Athur and Paul DeNobrega respectively.
Prime prizes went to Delius Richardson and Rawle Leal.
The five laps upright cyclists event’s winning time was 13 minutes and 15 seconds registered by Kester Croal.
Second place went to Richard Charles while Keon Thomas was third. Richard Charles was the beneficiary of the prime prize for the event.
The two lap BMX boys six to nine years race was won by Jamal Arthur with Denzil Huntley and Nicholas D’Andrade second and third respectively.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mohammed mentioned that the programme was in its 35th year and the initiative over the years was to spot and harness the talent of young cyclists. He showered praise on DeSinco Trading and other sponsors for making the programme a successful one.
Mohammed who has run off programmes in the National Park over 19 years also thanked the riders for participating and encouraged them to do their best on and off their cycles.
De Sinco’s Victor Gordon handed out prizes to the winners.
