Guyana’s local ‘Little Kenyan’ Cleveland Forde is in pursuit of an Olympic berth at the London Olympics scheduled from July 27 to August 12.
Forde who is Guyana’s record holder in both the 1500 and 5000 metres has the prestigious event marked on his calendar, especially since July 8 is the deadline to run qualifying times for the world’s greatest athletics stage.
“This is the Olympic year and I’m trying everything possible to lower my timings to make the Olympics… there are other meets after but the Olympics is my main focus,” Forde told Stabroek Sport.
With time steadily counting down, Forde is hopeful of training outside of Guyana in order to make the qualifying standards which stand at 3:35.50s and 3:38.00s ‘A’ and ‘B’ class respectively of the 1500 metres while the 5000 metres times stand at 13:20.00s and 13:27.00s ‘A’ and ‘B’ class respectively.
“Yeah I mean I have been trying to get some overseas training but it has not been formulating but I’m hopeful of putting in some higher altitude training somewhere in order to make the time,” Forde revealed to Stabroek Sport.
The local distance King also said that his training on local soil was well on track in order for him to have a chance at making the qualifying times.
“Start of the year preparation is going well. I have been doing lots of endurance work and I started early this year so I would get to focus on other aspects more and I’ll get into the track early,” Forde pointed out.
However, the soft-spoken and ever calm Forde maintained that it is likely he could make the times required to qualify for the Olympics.
“The possibility exists that I could make the times and I’m really hoping that I can get it done because all my focus is on that but at the moment I can’t afford to say that I will make the times,” Forde commented.
Forde also disclosed to Stabroek Sport that he was aiming to get his 5000 metres time under the 14-minute mark.
“I’m just really looking forward to lowering my time. Last year I lowered my 10k time after a long time and this year I’m looking to lower my time on the track… I also want to get the 5000 metres under the 14 minute mark,” the 2011 Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) runner-up athlete-of-the-year concluded.
Meanwhile, as Forde is one of four athletes earmarked by the AAG for overseas training stints with a view to helping them to qualify for the Olympics, Forde told Stabroek Sport that the AAG has been doing its part in trying to assist him.
“The AAG is trying, if it all goes well, later I would have to be thanking them but for now they are trying,” the small-framed athlete stated.
Forde is expected to have various opportunities to make the qualifying times for the Olympics while the athletics fraternity is hoping that a larger than usual contingent will be able to attend the meet.
