Shane Vasquez wins Alpheus Williams Classic
James Adderley
Good evening I’m James Adderley and you’re right on time for this fresh dish of Sports Monday. The AIDS day Alpheus Williams Cycle Classic from Belmopan to the Marion Jones Sporting Complex here in Belize City continues to attract the heaviest of competition and yesterday’s presentation certainly is proof positive.
We pick up the action inside the Marion Jones Sporting Complex for the big finish, and it’s these two riders Shane Vasquez and Henry Moriera in a head on clash for the big W.
Shane Vasquez of Team Cayo on the inside makes the first move. Henry Moriera then raises off his seat to counter. It’s now an all out sprint, but it’s Shane Vasquez who prevails to take the win in three hours, eleven minutes, forcing Henry Moriera into second.
Now here’s the battle for third place featuring two of Belize’s best. Quinton Hamilton pushes for the tape, but gets no challenge from Ernest Meighan. Jawmeighan only looks back to secure fourth place as Roger Troyer cruises in for fifth, Bruce Sanchez Jr. pulls up sixth, Barney Brown settles for seventh, while former Cross Country Champion Charles Lewis rounds out the top eighth.
Shane Vasquez, Winner
“Today I just come out here and I told the guys from my team that I just wanted to have fun today. I just wanted to do the race to support the people, the AIDS victims and everything. But I thank my sponsors, Chaa Creek, Blancaneaux Lodge, Aaron Construction and Simmons Welding Service too. And also, all the cyclists, my team-mates who really help me today, and the service crew.
Today, I wasn’t in such a good shape cause I don’t want to get into shape early in the season, like what happened the beginning of this year. I was in shape too quick and I did so much hard racing, so coming up down to the Cross Country I was over trained and I was so tired and everything. This year I’m coming with a different strategy to see how I can win the races, Cross Country and everything. But for the most part, I’m trying my best and I really enjoyed winning today too.”
Changing gears, let’s head to the M.C.C. Grounds for the Week 5 match in the BFL schedule, featuring two teams struggling for self respect and looking for their first season win in 2001.
Of course, to expect a well choreographed and well executed ballgame might be a bit too much, as can be discerned in this unfulfilled offensive push by the visiting Lazio F.C. of Orange Walk.
Maybe we could label this sequence a legitimate highlight after all. Lazio could have score, but they didn’t. Pray tell people, how many errors do you see happening on both sides in such a short time during this Lazio push? Like we said, highlights are hard to come by.
At the other end, the city team Acros Bombers try to get something going on, but it turns out to be more of the same and at the half, we have a scoreless stalemate.
In second half, Lazio keeps pushing to get on the scoreboard and got very close here, but the ball inches outside the sticks.
At the other end, Davu Rodriguez fires this long-range missile that presents some problem to the Lazio keeper, but Acros nevertheless comes away empty.
Talk about squandering a golden opportunity. Well here is what it actually looks like as Acros again fails to count. Meanwhile, this is the best scoring opportunity in the entire ballgame and can you believe the ball sails over the crossbar from point-blank range? As a result, the ballgame concludes in a goal-less draw both teams pick up their first season point. And I guess they’re both happy.
In other Regents Cup play over the weekend, Griga United remained atop the standings after scorching Corozal F.C. 1-zip at Dangriga yesterday. Kulture Yabra kept pace with a 3-2 win over Acros Verdes. Juventus and Builders Bandits struggled to a 2-all draw and Jacintoville of Toledo picked up its first semi-pro win with a 1-nil burner over San Pedro Football Club.
Turning to the Central American Games, well the good news is that Rushiel Bevans, he might not be able to win at home, but he certainly got Belize its first gold after capturing the welterweight division in bodybuilding. Up to yesterday’s karate had picked up two bronze. Basketball also made a positive start after beating Honduras 76-67.
In lawn tennis, Mitra Meenanalli lost to his Honduran counterpart and Michael Meighan advanced on a default by Panama.
In football news, it’s all bad. Thursday night Belize fell 4-zip to Guatemala. And on Saturday, sixth place Belize was beaten 3-2 by the seventh ranked team Nicaragua.
On the female side, Guatemala welcomed the set with a 12-zip blast. Folks its not over till its over, but it ain’t looking good. Of course, you know it and I know too. I’m a Belizean and I know you are.
