Trinidad and Tobago had a banner day during yesterday’s third and final leg of the South American 10k Classic on the streets of Georgetown, as Curtis Cox and Tonya Nero won the men’s and women’s titles.
It was the first time the Twin Island Republic has swept both the men’s and women’s events in this historic fixture, the Region’s most prolific annual 10k series.
Cox completed the trek which ran off from Carifesta Avenue (in front of GT&T), proceeded to the University of Guyana and returned to the National Park for the conclusion in an official time of 32 minutes and 48 seconds.
He pulled away late from local duo, Cleveland Thomas and Winston Missigher, with a little more than a mile to go. Thomas ran in second in a time of 33m:24s while Missigher crossed the finish line exactly a minute behind Cox.
Nero who won last year’s leg of the race, pretty much ran the entire event in solo fashion. After the first km, she was by herself with the race in hand.
In perfect conditions for distance running, Nero, 26, clocked a brisk 36 minutes and 14 seconds to finish way ahead of Guyana’s Ashanti Scott (43m:15s) and Canada’s Caroline Macisaac (47m: 17s). Guyana’s duo, Alicia Jack (49m: 10s) and Cassie Kirton (50m: 38s) filled out the top five positions.
Cox and Nero went home richer by US$1000 apiece while the second placed runners received US$600 and the third spot fetched US$400. Cox also pocketed a gold medal.
The first leg of the Classic was held on October 30 in Suriname, while the second leg was staged on November 13 in Panama.
