A Review of a Weekend of Sports
Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez.
Like fireworks on September twenty-first, the George Price Highway lit up on Saturday morning for the thirty-second Annual Puma Women’s Cross Country Cycling Classic. The seventy-three mile race from Columbus Park in San Ignacio Town to the Digi Park in Belize City, had its highs and lows. But, it did not disappoint, as these elite female riders took on the journey in the scorching mid-morning heat. The race got under way at approximately eight a.m. with ten riders. Belizean Kedisha Francis claimed the first station prize in front Running W, heading towards Central Farm Village. She also sprinted to the second station price in front Galen University. Kedisha Francis made the day’s first break away from the main peloton outside of Georgeville. Francis maintained that gap through Georgeville, claimed three stations prizes and was finally overtaken by LA Sweats Mariana Valdez and Belizean Patricia Chavarria.
Inside Unitedville, Bermudian Caitlin Conyers launched an attack. She was able to break away from the main group of riders. But, Mexican Diana Rodriquez responded with a chase. Conyers maintained her lead through Blackman Eddy, Ontario and Teakettle with Diana Rodriquez on her tail and the main peloton trailing by more than sixty seconds. Unfortunately for Conyers, she experienced a flat in Camalote Village which placed Rodriquez ahead of the race, and boy would Rodriquez take advantage of that opportunity. Rodriquez rode alone along the George Price Highway from mile fifty in Camalote Village to mile seventeen, just outside Hattieville. At this point, the ten women race had decreased to eight riders, but Caitlin Conyers was also back with the main peleton.
Leaving Hattieville, the race slowed down significantly and the riders began cruising, while remaining focused on their surroundings and any planned attacks. At the entrance to Belize City, Caitlin Conyers once again launched an attack that none of the riders behind her were able to adequately respond to. Bermudian Caitlin Conyers rode across the finish line alone in fine form. She is the thirty-second Women’s Cross Country Champion. We spoke with her and a couple of the other riders following the race.
Caitlin Conyers
Caitlin Conyers, Champion, 32nd Women’s Cross Country
“To be honest at that point I was like look, I am just going to get to the finish, because I was just chasing for a long time. And, Marianna was with me for a little bit then she had crashed so I was like just get back, just get back to the group and then you could sort it out once you get there. I don’t know how because I was dying in wind. But, I got back to the group and I felt good. So, I was rolling with two of the other girls to try and catch, one of the Mexican girls, Diana and we had her in sight and it was thirty seconds that you could tell she was dying and we were like ok we are going to come back and then it was just cat and mouse stuff, we were just doing zero miles an hour. I know I can’t sprint. I can’t sprint to save my life. So, my only chance was to get a break. I just kept attacking and it wasn’t going. It was like three times, it wasn’t going. The last one I saw that the wind was turning, you come around the bend and get a bit of tailwind and I was like yeah, I am going right here.”
Diana Rodriquez
Diana Rodriquez, Second Place, 32nd Women’s Cross Country
“It is an incredible experience when I break away. It was like OMG we are getting it, I can’t believe it and firstly I think this is going to be so hard because it is so windy. But, god give me strength some power and it was like o mein, then they come and catch me and I said no we can. God told me you will have to attack so I attacked and I won.”
Kaya Cattouse
Kaya Cattouse, Fourth Place, 32nd Women’s Cross Country
“From the start of the race, coming through Cayo, all the way on the road coming through Belize City I feel like I had the weight of the country on my shoulder indeed. Everybody mih the cheer mih on and I want to say a big thank you to everybody that did that, because that helps a lot when you are on the road and feeling pain and just to know that you are riding and people are supporting you, it helps you to push forward. As to race tactics, my teammate Marianna was here to deliver me and very early in the race she had a crash and she got back and she was in pain and that is what took her out.”
We would like to acknowledge Ordonez Bike Shop for the coverage they provided of the entire race. We were able to bring tonight’s coverage to you with their help. Great job!
The Fiftieth Caribbean Free Trade Association Games is scheduled to take place in the Bahamas from the eight to the tenth of April. Last week, the Belize Athletic Association met to select a team of athletes that will represent the Jewel at the event. In the under- twenty category for boys, Andre Armstrong and Daniel Myers were selected to compete in the fifteen hundred and five thousand meter races. Joas Mejia was selected for Long Jump and Triple Jump. In the under-seventeen boy’s category, Demetrie Meyers was selected to compete in the eight hundred meters, fifteen hundred meters, and three thousand meters races. Mallory Meyers was selected in the under-seventeen girl’s category. She was chosen to compete in the eight hundred meters, fifteen hundred meters, and three thousand meters races. We spoke with BAA’s General Secretary Harrison Pilgrim about the selection
Harrison Pilgrim
Harrison Pilgrim, General Secretary, BAA
“Carifta is a highly celebrated junior championship which has been going on now for the last fifty years. this is the fiftieth year celebrating the Carifta junior games which tends to highlight young persons, most of whom are still in high school or six form and it is for under twenty or under seventeen. We certainly participated last year in Jamaica and really a family team last year of the Meyers family, three kids, two boys and a girl and one boy came second in the eight hundred and the girl came fourth in her eight hundred run. We are expecting that both those young persons who have had tremendous improvements in their style and capability over the past twelve months, we are looking forward to seeing them on the podium and maybe if not, on the top seat in the podium, somewhere very high up.”
Mia Sylvester and Kali Magana were also selected to compete in the upcoming games, however, they were unable to commit to the team due to a clashing of schedules. We wish our athletes all the best and maximum success.
And finally for tonight, the 2023 Men’s Volleyball National Championship was held over the weekend at the SCA Mercy Center in Belize City. We would like to send our congratulations to the champions of the tournament, M & M Engineering’s EA Warriors for taking the top prize. We also give a huge shootout to all the members of the other eight teams that competed in the championship tournament.
Well folks, that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday, Until next time, Be mindful that Nature is the Best Playground. Get out and have some fun.
