The indomitable Briton John rode to yet another accolade on the roadways of Guyana, this time capturing the senior category of the inaugural Humphrey & Fowler Road Race yesterday.
He managed to stave off a returning Jamual John, who had to settle for second this time around, while Aaron Newton, Robin Persaud, Alexander Newton, and Paul DeNobrega all placed third through sixth in that order.
Meanwhile, in the Veterans category, Robin Persaud claimed the top spot, with Alexis Mendes and Kwame Ridley coming in second and third, respectively.
Alexander Leung, who has long outgrown the junior category, assumed his accustomed place at the top of the podium as Alex Newton and Daniel Jaing fought for second and third place. In the Over-60 class, Mark Spencer clinched first place as old nemesis Ian Jackson settled for second and Ray Harlequin took third.
Of the 12 ‘Primes’ (sprint prizes) up for grabs, Christopher Griffith hogged six while Aaron Newton and Briton took two, with Marlon Williams grabbing the other.
The race began with a ceremonial roll-off, heading north along Ketley Street, turning east onto Princess Street, then north onto Smyth Street. The route continued east onto Durban Street, north onto Lime Street, west onto Brickdam, north onto Camp Street, and east onto Carifesta Avenue to mark the official start.
The cyclists then proceeded towards Perseverance Mahaicony (Half-Way Tree) via Mahaica’s old road, and after a turnaround at Half-Way Tree, they returned to Georgetown along the same route, concluding at Carifesta Avenue.
The race was held in memory of George Humphrey, who was widely admired for his boundless generosity and outspoken advocacy for fairness and equality. It was also organized for the same reason on behalf of the late James Fowler, who was equally respected and was known for his unwavering dedication to helping cyclists achieve their goals. For years, he was a familiar figure on Carifesta Avenue at 4:30am, Monday through Saturday, ensuring that cyclists completed their ‘respective’ workouts.
