Gladden tops field in Lionman Triathlon

Good evening, I?m James Adderley with yet another fresh dish of Sports Monday. For the past five years, we?ve observed the Lionman Triathlons evolve from a worthy recreational experiment into a major sporting event, second only to the cross country cycling classic in Belize.

In the fifth edition of the event, number eighteen Wolly Wolger, number eighteen is clearly the superior swimmer and is the first athlete to complete the first leg a quarter mile in the tranquil Caribbean out at the Barracks and now he off for the twenty mile hide on bicycle.

Defending champion, forty-two year old Hubert Johnson today is very much off his pace from last year in the swim.

While four time competitor Kenroy ?Smoke? Gladden of Teakettle is simply astonishing in his improvement in the water.

Nevertheless, Wolly Wolger is the first runner on the Western Highway until Linden Rojas and Jim Scott ups the pressure at the turn around point.

However folks we couldn?t reach the finish line for the bicycle sprint, but as you can see the first athlete off his equipment is Roger Troyer, representing Cayo and he?s off for the five miles of running.

In the meantime, Jose Troto crashes on the way to the tape in a crowd that features the defending champion, Hubert Johnson.

So, we hit the route to Coral Drive where the sole leader on foot is Roger Troyer who looks to be in the driver?s seat today.

Linden Rojas sets chase, but who emerges out of nowhere to pose the severest threat at the turn crowd point in the run, is no other than Kenroy Gladden who won in 2001.

Defending champ Hubert Johnson still remains in a striking distance, but seemed to be struggling somewhat right about now.

When we rejoin the front of the race its all about twenty-three year old Gladden and he has attracted quite an entourage now and in 2004 he wins his second Lionman title and here is his triumphant crossing of the finish line.

Twenty-nine year old Calvin Rojas of Green Valley Farm, he recovers in time to grab second place.

Roger Troyer of Safe Tours Cayo, after doing such a yeoman?s job, pulls up third.

The winner of the first ever Lionman Triathlon event, thirty-nine year old Glen Jones, he takes fourth place. While the man who fell in the bicycle sprint, Jose Choto, rounds out the top five.

If you?re wondering about the defending champion Hubert Johnson–well today he couldn?t finish due to extreme exhaustion, but he?ll be back.

On the ladies side, Shaline Zabaneh is undoubtedly the best in the water after swimming half the distance the guys did in record time and now it?s bike time. And can you believe Kathleen Gillett is the second female to emerge from the water?

Two time Cross Country champion Marinet Flowers is the next to come out of the waters.

At the halfway march on the Western Highway Shaline Zabaneh remain in the lead–she would finish first.

However, at the finish line at the end of the run it?s Marinet Flowers accompanied by one of her daughters to claim the 2004 Lionman title

A strong looking Shaline Zabaneh takes second and we want to say congratulations to all who participated.

Kenroy ?Smoke? Gladden, Winner, Lionman Triathlon

?Well this morning was just to try to finish the swimming in thirteen minutes and leave the rest to the bike and running.?

James Adderley

?Today when did you find out that you had the opportunity to make the key move to be the best??

Kenroy ?Smoke? Gladden

?Well I noticed that as I entered out of the boulevard going on to the Western Highway because I could have seen them from about ¾ mile away from me. And I know with the riding I did on Tuesday and Thursday, I definitely could have reached that.?

James Adderley

?How did you get you training for your running??

Kenroy ?Smoke? Gladden

?Well I did some fantastic running. I had my ‘niggas’ go out on the street with me on bike in the evening and I also carry my dogs along with me and they give me the speed and helped me keep up in the running.?

Roger Troyer, Third place

?I didn?t really train specifically for this Lionman. Well actually, I wasn?t planning to ride until like two weeks ago when they cancelled the King of the Hills Race. So I decided that since I have some bike shape, I might as well use it for something and that?s why I tried to do the Lionman this year.?

James Adderley

?You were certainly very impressive on the bicycle. You did not come out of the water first, but you came out of the biking first. When did you begin having a problem??

Roger Troyer, Third place

?Well, when it came to the running. I haven?t trained for running much.?

Marinet Flowers, first place female

?I?m so tried, but I am happy. I trained for my race. I didn?t have enough time, but I tried to put in the most on the running because I am not a long distance runner. I am a short distance runner as most people would know me. But then again I worked hard on my running because I know I am not a good swimmer. All I really focussed on is my running because I know that is the most important part of the race.?

James Adderley

?You improved on the swimming much this year though.?

Marinet Flowers

?Yes I do. I didn?t have enough time and I didn?t want to come out here swimming much because I am afraid of the sea.?

James Adderley

?How hard was it chasing Shaline Zabaneh on foot?

Marinet Flowers

?It was pretty hard, but I knew if I kept a steady paste, I would catch her.?

Meanwhile folks some of the notables in the Lionman event–Jim Scott of Punta Gorda, he won the masters category at the age of forty-one.

Patrick Palacio might have won this sprint, but Rafael Cloto wins the junior prize because he participated in that category.

Efrain Philips the organiser of this event finishes twenty-eighth overall.

High School basketball star Bernard Felix again finishes bare-feet style.

Dr. Victor Rosado, a heart specialist, well he needs a quick check up after this finish.

Seventy-two year old Dr. Edward Schelonka is a finisher in 2004 and my boy Harry Hippie Flores kicks out old pal Mario Sanchez and yes Kathleen Tillett you?re a winner any which way you look at it.

Turning to basketball scene, Game I of the five game semi-pro championship series got off Thursday night with BTL Nets hosting Kruzzaz inside the City Centre.

The Phone Company looks to take charge early as Darwin Leslie goes against Kirk ?Shabba? Smith to get the lay off the glass.

Marlon Gillett replies for the Kruzzaz with a nice penetration move.

It?s more Darwin Leslie with this nice spin move–he would finish with sixteen points.

At the other end Steven Williams puts back this missed shot with serious authority–he would give the Kruzzaz fourteen points.

At the end of the first, it?s a, twenty-five/nineteen BTL lead.

We go to the third quarter, as Keith Acosta get the feed from Leslie to, which he applies a whole lot of hammer. He would post the only two doubles of the ballgame with thirteen points in fifteen seconds.

At the other end Marlon Gillett raises for three–he would take sixteen points as Kruzzaz goes by four points.

In the fourth quarter, the Nets regain the lead as AC Augustine turns around for two of his game high nineteen points.

On this trip down court the Nets goes to Keith Acosta who goes to back and guess what–its open.

The BTL lead stretches even more when Darren Bovell comes up with one of his pocketing put back.

The Nets take Game I sixty-seven to fifty-one. Game II comes up on Wednesdays night at the City Centre.

In bodybuilding news, the five man Belizean Contingent to the Central American Bodybuilding championships staged over the weekend brought back three gold and a silver medal. Mr. Belize, Edwin Ramirez, took gold in the Cruiser weight class, Roger Sutherland came up with gold at Walter weight level and Gilroy Nembhard struck for gold in the ninety kilo class. Deon Danderson who captured in the middle weight category; he picks up silver. We say congratulations to the Bodybuilding community.

That?s it for today. We invite you back same time, same place next week. Jah over all, I?m James Adderley.