By Emmerson Campbell
After finishing a disappointing ninth in the Road Race Championships last week, seasoned cyclist Robin Persaud took his talents to the inner circuit of the National Park yesterday to capture the featured 35-lap event of the Malta Supreme-sponsored 11-race programme.
Persaud won the race in one hour, 20 minutes and 56 seconds, from Jude Bentley, junior star rider Raynauth Jeffrey, Albert Philander Seon Alves and Enzo Matthews respectively.
Persaud also earned a prime prize each, while two went to Jeffrey, one to junior rider Raul Leal and four to Bentley.
The event, which attracted 31 riders, started off at a fair pace. However in the fifth lap, Persaud, Bentley and Jeffrey upped the ante and separated themselves from the rest of the field, a lead the trio would maintain and increase throughout the event. The three riders inter change the lead and worked tirelessly to open a sizable lead on a chase peloton and by lap 30; they almost lapped the rest of the starters. At three laps to go Jeffrey was caught trying to stage a one man breakaway but he was soon caught by his Carlton Wheelers Club mate Persaud and Bentley.
200 metres before the end, the race was still undecided as the leaders were still bunched together but that would change 50 metres later. At this point, a fierce sprint for the finish line ensued but Persaud, arguably the most consistent local cyclist, used his superior sprinting speed to power himself to victory ahead of Bentley and Jeffrey. Jason Jordan won the BMX boys’ 12-to-14 years, three-lap race ahead of Yusuf Latiff and Deeraj Garbarran respectively while Briton John took top honours in the BMX boys’ nine-to-12 years, two-lap race ahead of Jamal Arthur and Keon Lewis respectively. Kennard Lovell rode off with the veteran’s under-50, five–lap, first place trophy beating Shameer Baksh and Miami based Guyanese Jonathan Creavalle who were second and third respectively. Creavalle however won the sprint prize.
Ricardo Sharma took top honours in the three-lap BMX boys Open race ahead of his brother Adrian Sharma and Christopher Griffith. In the 12-to-14-years, boys and girls’ three-lap race, Naomi Singh took home the winner’s trophy and the prime prize. Marica Dick and Alfie Sonaram were second and third respectively. In the five-lap veteran’s over-50 race, Virgil Jones was first followed by Lance Rose and Wilfred Thom respectively.
Maurice Fagundes won the veterans over-60 years’ race ahead of Harry Lall and Krishna Singh in that order.
Alonzo Ambrose won the juniors and juveniles’ 10-lap race in a time of 22 minutes and 33 seconds ahead of Christopher Hochan and Leal. Paul DeNobrega however won the lone prime that was up for grabs. The race for the upright cyclists and the sprint prize was won by Keon Thomas with Nial Kingston and Keron Rutherford placing second and third.
The two-lap BMX boy’s six-to-nine year’s race was won by Isaiah Sahadeo with Christopher Goring and Isaiah’s brother Ken Sahadeo pedaling in second and third respectively.
At the prize giving ceremony, national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed thanked the representatives of Banks DIH Limited for the sponsorship under the Malta Supreme brand and the cyclists for participating in the meet and making the programme a success. He also announced that this year’s 36th annual Teach Them Young Summer Programme will commence from July 9 in the National Park. The programme which will run for eight weeks will start at 9:00hrs and end at 11:00hrs from Monday to Friday. The programme is free and is open to riders as young as six years old. The following day the cyclists will take their talents to the open road to compete in a 50-mile road race from Wales Police Station, proceed to Bushy Park and back to the Demerara Harbour Bridge for the finish. This event will also be sponsored by Malta Supreme. Malta Supreme’s Brand Manager Clayton McKenzie handed out the prime prizes as well as the trophies to the winners and the runners-up at the National Park circuit.
McKenzie congratulated all the cyclists for their participation and pledged Banks DIH’s continued support for cycling and sport in general.
