Johnson takes Lion Man Triathlon
Good evening I’m James Adderley and welcome to this lion edition of Sports Monday. Many of us eagerly awaited the third Lion Man Triathlon staged on Sunday. And for the first time ever in its three-year history, some forty-one athletes, including three females, made a bid for this prestigious title.
Now here’s a look at the early morning sights as the organisers prepare to launch this sporting event, which includes quarter mile of swimming, twenty miles of cycling and four miles of running.
Here’s our man, Henry “Hippie” Flowers, forty-eight years young whose claim to fame is that in both previous editions of this event, he has never been beaten by a female athlete, including last year’s Marinette Flowers, who is not competing this year.
Of course, the male defending champion Kenroy Gladden is back for more. And so is the athlete who pioneered this event, Beeps Phillips, whose aim today is to finish inside the top ten.
It’s some ten minutes past 8:00 when the forty-one strong make that plunge into a rough Caribbean Sea, and the first leg is underway.
People, this athlete, Karl Mahler must think this swim is a joke, or he is gravely miscalculated his swimming abilities, as he opts for safety less than a minute in. Yes, send the jet ski for Kirk Trapp, swimming ain’t his thing and he knows it. Could be the hair people, but Victor Arana follows suit shortly after.
Nevertheless, the lead in the swim featured a head on clash between Hubert Johnson and Wayne Lambey. Johnson would prevail, but we don’t have a picture of him getting out of the water.
We also didn’t get a picture of Lela Peyrefitte who won the female swim, but here’s Claudette Meighan heading for her bicycle after completing her swim.
Meanwhile, Hubert Johnson, a big name cyclist, consolidates his lead by displaying his riding prowess. And here he is turning at the halfway mark unchallenged. Next to make the turn is Linden Rojas. And here’s the defending champion Gladden trying to make up for time lost in the swim.
On the female side, Lela Peyrefitte is able to transfer her lead from the swim into a lead on the bike. But Claudette Maheia is a determined chaser today and stays within striking distance.
At the end of the ride, Hubert Johnson is the first one and he changes his footwear for running gear and he takes off on foot for the final four miles.
Linden Rojas is next to complete the bike course, and he is followed closely by the defending champion, Kenroy Gladden, who begins his run right here.
Lela Peyrefitte in the meantime remains in the lead for the females after the completion of two legs, and it’s time for that final push on foot.
Inside Belize City, Hubert Johnson continues to lead on the Central American Boulevard. And despite a furious chase from Gladden and Rojas, Hubert Johnson take the 2002 Lion Man triathlon title in 1 hour, 34 minutes, 14 seconds.
Next to pull up is Kenroy Gladden, who has to settle for 2nd this time around, but he says he’ll be back. Linden Rojas of the BDF. has to settle for 3rd, his best finish was in 2000 when he finished 2nd. Ian Grey, a real track and field athlete, pulls up 4th, while Wayne Lambey rounds out the top five on the male side.
As for our man, Beeps Phillips, he certainly is disappointed to be out of the top ten, he finishes at 15th place. But he did beat Hippie Flowers, who is nonetheless himself happy that he wasn’t beaten by an female.
On the female side, Claudette Maheia was able to track down the leader and grabbed 1st place for herself, forcing Lela Peyrefitte into 2nd. Hey Lela, two out of three ain’t good enough in this one.
We congratulate the winners and the organisers and remind them all that more organisations must go into this event to better protect the participants, because it has gone big.
Changing gears, the situation in Belizean football can only be described as bizarre. Whoever is happy about this predicament must be living in a fool?s paradise. Nevertheless, football is being played at the highest level and we took over camera to yesterday’s B.P.F.L. match at the Barracks featuring the defending champion Kulture Yabra and the former champ back in the fray, Sagitun of Independence.
It’s Kulture Yabra looking dangerous in the early going, but this left foot bomb from Emory Nunez is just a little high. Emory Nunez then displays his individual skills, but the right foot launch is stopped by Giovanni Rodriguez in goal.
Sagitun should have taken a first half lead after getting two opportunities at goal from point-blank range, but come up empty and at the half it’s still a scoreless ballgame.
Folks, it’s late in the ballgame when Kulture Yabra finally comes up with this definition; it’s newly acquired Tyrone Muschamp on the breakaway. He gets taken down by the goalkeeper Rodriguez, the referee rules penalty and Vallan Symms makes no mistakes as Yabra opens with a 1-zip W.
In other matches around the league this weekend. Builder’s Hardware Bandits fell to Verdes of Cayo, 3-4. Griga United and Corozal’s Victory settled for a 1-1 draw, while Orange Walk Football Club fell to San Pedro Turquoise 3-2 final score.
Hey folks, that’s our show for today, we certainly invite you back same time, same place next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
