Marinet Flowers wins female cross country
Good evening I’m James Adderley and welcome aboard this pleasant flight on Sports Monday that’s bound to get you off. We start with the 2001 edition of the female Cross-Country Classic. Here we join the start of the seventy mile ride featuring five of the top seven female cyclists of this country we call Belize, and they’re off.
On this expedition no rider would fall victim to the pace as all seem to have achieved a high level of competence. At Hattieville Marinet Flowers trained by cross-country champion Ernest Meighan, tries to make a move, but the other four participants would not comply.
At Almond Hill Anamarie Bennett had the superior stroke, taking that station prize–she would end up with a total of nine. And here they are entering Belize City heading for the big finish at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex.
The entrance into the former National Stadium proves that all five riders are worthy contenders. For Anamarie Bennett of Courts the support inside the stadium is unparalleled.
And now money time is here, Marinet Flowers makes the move on the inside. Anamarie responds on the outside while defending champion Violet Morrison is the one in the middle.
Bennett moves hard to the tape, but the surge isn’t good enough for the W as Marinet Flowers wins by inches, forcing Bennett into second. Violet Morrison who won nine stations prizes settles for third, Amelita Knowles pulls up fourth, while Juliana Sanchez of team Hot Rod, Cayo pulls up fifth in her first appearance at this level, and the strain of this journey shows in her appearance.
Marinet Flowers, Winner
“They wanted me to do it because they said I just started out, so I showed them that just I can do it and I’m very strong. I feel myself as a good mother and a strong mother. Don’t give up, don’t let nothing let you down, just work and go strong for what you want in life.”
Anamarie Bennett, 2nd Place
“Actually I didn’t go in with as much confidence as people thought I had. It’s because of people like my good coach Mathew Smiling, all my family and all the Courts staff, see how many people are wearing “Catch the Cash” shirts. Because they were behind me I could not let them down. I stand by a personal motto that I can do anything I set my mind up to do. Although I was feeling sick during the race, I had quite a stomach problem, my legs were fine and I think you can do anything if you set your mind to do it. Maybe if I had moved a little faster a little earlier I might have won.”
On a final note on cycling, we certainly want to congratulate Ernest Meighan and of course the champion Marinet Flowers, the duo seem to have the magical combination.
Meanwhile James Welch won the mountain bike race from La Democracia to Belize on Sunday, beating out Albert Lemott, Miguel Jones, Darwin Lodge and Kenroy Gladden in that order.
Turning to the basketball scene, semi-pro action took centre stage at the City Centre Friday night as BTL Nets hosted Corozal’s Kaus and it’s the Mexican Adrian Sotelo in the tip off against BTL’s Ernest Broaster.
The visitors from the north go on a 6-zip start when John Rhys snares the rebound off the missed shot and makes the putback good. At the other end Ernest Broaster gets the first of two BTL Nets points by trailing the play as the city team gets going.
Keith Acosta then provides big-time momentum for his team with this two-handed jam.
And when A.C. Augustine gets his turn around to fall, BTL takes a four-point lead. A.C. shot for sixteen points and pulled twelve rebounds on this outing. By the way Keith Acosta is this shot for real, seems like a circus act, but it counts.
Downcourt Adrian Sotelo shows his stuff nailing this bucket to keep his team in the hunt. It’s more Keith Acosta, who comes up with the putback, and at the half it’s a BTL 15-point lead.
In second half play Sotelo tries to bring his team back striking for three. John Rhys then helps Kaus with this float to the glass. He would shoot for 20 points, but tonight he just sees too much BTL Nets.
But first here’s another look and Mexican Adrian Sotelo who shows much promise with this slam-dunk, which cut the lead to 6. Sotelo would finish with 19 points.
Keith Acosta combines with A.C. Augustine as the Nets offensive gets rolling. Give Vince “The Postman” Estrada the assist as he finds Leroy Forbes, who converts with the left hand.
Post Estrada then comes downcourt and goes all the way to the glass for two of his 12 game points. It’s a foregone conclusion when Acosta mashes this two-hand reverse for the game high 31 points as BTL posts the 92-68 big W.
Turning to the football scene, week 5 of the BFL playoffs saw Kulture Yabra increase its lead in the standings with a 1-zip scorcher over Builder’s Hardware Bandits of Belmopan Saturday night inside capital city. The People’s Stadium, O.W. yesterday Leslie’s Verdes picked up their first playoff win with a 3-2 bashing of Juventus, while the match between Metro Stars and Sagitun in Corozal was postponed due to rain.
In horseracing news, Little John of Wade stables beat out Spearmint in the E-Class furlong. At A-Class, Ginger of Gillett stables ran pass Act of War. In the A-Class seven furlong, it was Little Brit of Banner stables taking Quadrito.
