Winston Missigher showed up for the Courts 10K yesterday seeking to defend the title he won for the first time last September.
He completed the 6.2-mile course, which began and ended in front of Courts on Main Street, 42 seconds slower than his last year’s winning time although the end result was the same.
Missigher, 27, a Police Progressive Youth Club standout, topped the field of more than 100 starters with a time of 34:11, giving him a second straight Courts 10K title.
Missigher was well off his winning time of 33:29 which he set last year, but was well ahead of runner-up Nathaniel Giddings (34:54) and his PPYC team mate while Odwin Tudor of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) rounded out the podium finishers in (35:16).
Cleveland Thomas (35:32) of Running Brave, Rickie Williams (35:48) and Marlon Nicholson (36:40) filled out the top six positions in the ninth edition of the annual fixture.
The seven-time champion of the event, Cleveland Forde, who was upset by Missigher last year, did not compete yesterday.
Missigher, who made a tactical and race winning move from the bunch outside the GDF compound, said in a post-race interview with Stabroek Sport that quite a few of the competitors are faster and stronger than him physically. However, his mental strength coupled with his hunger to win and work ethic enabled him to repeat.
He disclosed that next up for him will be the Venture 5k in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday and like everyone else, he will be gunning for the win.
The South American 10k series also starts soon and wins will be on his radar. But for now, the spoils and the praises belongs to Missigher, one of the most consistent athletes on the local scene.
Meanwhile 18 year-old Sheama Tyrell (42:13), Abedemi Charles (42:16), Kissanna Glen (43:01), Aaliyah Moore (43:11), Ashanti Scott (46:00) and Leyanna Charles (46:22) were the top six finishers in the female open category.
The winners of the open male and female categories pocketed $100,000 each, while the $80,000, $60,000, $40,000, $20,000 and $10,000 respectively were handed out to the other five top finishers.
A golden mile for youths along with a 3K event for staff members was also staged yesterday as part of Court’s 26 year anniversary celebrations.
