Cyclist Shalini Zabaneh gets gold in Jamaica

Shalini Zabaneh is among the top female cyclists in Belize and in the Caribbean Cycling Championship held in Jamaica over the weekend, she proved to be among the best in the region. Today Zabaneh returned home with two medals for the twelve mile time trial and the forty-three mile road race. She also brought back some bumps and bruises that resulted from a collision with a race official. News Five met Zabaneh as she touched down at the PGIA and she gave us the full details.

Shalini Zabaneh, Cyclist

“I went to Jamaica for the Caribbean Cycling Championships. They have them every year; each country gets to host it every year and this year we were in Montego Bay Jamaica.”

Delahnie Bain

“And you came back with several medals. Can you tell us about those?”

Shalini Zabaneh

“Well, I got third in the time trial so I got the bronze and I won the road race so I got the gold and Jamaica gave us a medal for each race as well.”

Dalila Ical, Love FM

“How were the competitions?”

Shalini Zabaneh

“The terrain was more difficult than I expected; rolling terrain into the head wind. But it was good. We had Antigua, USVI, Guyana and Jamaica and Puerto Rico so. The Caribbean is a different level—it’s a level down from other games that I’ve been to, the Pan-American Games and the Central American Games. So I was hoping to go and do well yoh know, I’ve been doing well in Belize so far and no gold medal as yet so I was hoping to do well and I did it.”

Dalila Ical

“So you’re satisfied with your performance?”

Shalini Zabaneh

Shalini Zabaneh

“Yes, very satisfied. I got the gold and that’s the main thing.”

Delahnie Bain

“I can’t help but notice the bruise on your eye and your hand is bandaged. Can you tell us what happened there?”

Shalini Zabaneh

“At the finish line, an official just appeared in front of me. I don’t know, I took him down or he took me down.”

Dalila Ical

“How badly did you hurt your hand?”

Shalini Zabaneh

“Well, I did a cat scan and everything’s okay and I did x-rays and everything’s okay. I’m really more sore than anything else. I have a swollen wrist which is the most hurting right now. But besides that I should be okay.”

Shalini’s plans now are to recover for the Banana Classic down south which comes up in October.