Shalini Zabaneh is 2008 Cross Country Champion
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
The nineteenth Annual Female Cross Country Cycling Classic took center stage over the weekend. So we take you out to in front of the Police Station inside San Ignacio where fifteen athletes are suited up in a bid for the most prestigious cycling title to be had by a female here in the Jewel featuring ten Belizean cyclists and five foreigners. As they blast off to mount the Hawksworth Bridge, we remind you that the defending champion, Brenda Aguayo of Mexico, is not in the hunt today. We’re not even ten miles into the seventy mile journey when this group of five riders: Renee Eastman, Lori Hawkey, Erin McMillan, Shalini Zabaneh and Anthea Sutherland manage to extricate themselves from the pack successfully.
At mile thirty-seven on the Western Highway, the lead five has further cemented this control of the pace. That is until the American Eastman of Sagitun decides to run alone, which brings an end to this particular on road the alliance. Nevertheless, we remind you that this chase group of three; Nancy Ulate, Alicia Thompson and Kaya Cattouse are mounting a serious chase on the frontrunners. By the time we check back with the frontrunner Eastman around mile twenty-two, she has been joined by her teammate Shalini Zabaneh and her American rival, Lori Hawkey. Folks, at the tape in front of the Memorial Park here in Belize City, it’s still the big three locked in a two to one sprint.
Renee Eastman cuts in front of Lori Hawkey as Shalini Zabaneh turns up the after burners to grab the Big W Sagitun takes one and two in this year’s Cross Country ride. Lori Hawkey, the American riding for Hincappi Coca Cola settles for third place with all three timed at four hours, four minutes, thirty-six seconds. In the meantime, the battle fourth place rages between the Telemedia Swoosh riders. Alicia Thompson grabs fourth place while former champion Anthea Sutherland rounds out the top five in a time of four hours, nine minutes, twenty seconds. Let’s join a very emotional Shalini Zabaneh inside the winners circle.
Shalini Zabaneh, Winner, 19th Female Cross Country
“I had to dig really deep, work so hard you know?”
Alan Auil
“Late in the race your teammate attacked on Central American—sorry—Princess Margaret Drive and she went clear by at least fifteen seconds or so. It may have been about a hundred meters. Was there any point that you thought that I’ll just let her win the race?”
Shalini Zabaneh
“I just told her to go you know. Lori was just playing me and that’s what it’s all about when it comes down to the finish. I thought I was done so I told her to go and I just saw her a couple yards away from me and I just said this is the end and I have to push and this is my race. I brought her here to help me and she did an excellent job and I had to push to the end for her too.”
Changing gears, let’s head to the Civic Center where the opening ceremonies for the Inter-Office Basketball season blasted off Friday night. And you can tell our National Sports Director is not a basketball man right Vanley Jenkins. At the tip off it’s the Belize City Council in acting against Tuff e Nuff Rebels and we’re underway. Gadsen Ferguson finds Kenroy Usher with the nice dish and he gets two of his game high, sixteen points, for the City Council. At the other end Tuff e Nuff fires back with this banker from Tyrone Palmerson, who would hit ten points in the outing. Glen flowers, who would also hit ten points for Tuff e Nuff, goes glass for two. At the end of the first quarter it’s a four points Tuff e Nuff lead. In the second quarter the City Council breaks the ballgame wide open. Randolph unattended gets the easy bucket. Kenroy Usher then busts this move off the strip for two more points. Now watch Gadsen Ferguson take the pill to the hoop for two points. He would finish with ten points for the outing. And now he wants three, he gets three. At the half the city Council is up 23-16. We fast forward to the fourth quarter and it’s all City Council. Marlon James struts for two. The Council goes on to post the 56-35 big W. Hey, it’s an easy opening night for them.
In the nightcap, the defending champion Belize Telemedia comes out against Home Protector/Tropic Air and it turns out to be a blow out. And it might have started off the very tip off as Edward Thompson beats everybody down court for the first two points of the ballgame. He would score ten points. On this trip down court Lupito Ayuso, the man with the pill, finds Thompson who hits again. It’s an 8-zip run when Devon Lozano strikes for two of his game high fourteen points, which would lead all scorers. Give respect to Keith James who puts back the missed shot for Home Protector/Tropic Air. Devon Lozano does get three the old fashioned way off this nice finger roll. And in heavy traffic, Jason Lamb rises for two tough points. He would finish with ten. At the end of the first quarter it’s a 15-5 lead for Telemedia. Veteran, Byron Shackles Flowers, works his way for two points in the second quarter. Kevin Flowers replies for Home Protector with this three pointer. He would lead his team with seven points which goes to show nobody hit the double digits for this combination of Home Protector and Tropic Air. Unfortunately, Home Protector/Tropic Air had no answer for the talents of Devon Lozano who strikes for three points right here. At the half the core is 24-14 in favour of the defending champion. In the second half play Telemedia would outscore Tropic Air 37-13 and go on to post the 61-27 blow out and no, that’s not easy. That’s more than easy.
In action on Sunday, K.H.M.H. rolled over G.P.O./Grace Kennedy 63-50, Milo Fortifiers dropped Angelus Press 57-50 and B.E.L. Megawatts burned Atlantic Bank 52-51. Police beat the Bar Association 47-44, C.S.B. Crushers hurt the Port of Belize 50-46. The City Council edged K.H.M.H. 67-63, the police handcuffed Belize Healthcare Partners Limited 51-47 while Aero Dispatch turned off B.W.S. pressure 77-58. This Wednesday’s schedule at the Civic finds the Bar Association facing G.P.O./Grace Kennedy, Angelus Press goes up against B.E.L. Megawatts and Central Bank comes out against Telemedia.
Checking in on the Christian Basketball League, on Saturday Open Door Saints struck for a record a hundred and twenty-eight points to blast Lake I Baptist, who totaled only fifty points led by an impressive forty-two points and eleven board from Jacob Leslie and twenty-two points from Darwin Elijo. Darwin Prince Zuniga led Lake I with thirty points. On the under card M&M Promise Keepers stopped Sandhill Spirits 70-51.
Finally folks, here are the results from the under fifteen basketball action inside the Yabra Sporting Club. Mesop Bulldogs rolled past Primary School All Stars 47-36 and Poor and Famous edged Collet Lake 39-36; that’s on Friday. On Saturday, Mesop Bulldogs came back again and they defeated Primary School All Stars 48-47 in a squeaker. Thus, the Mesop Bulldogs move on to the championship game. They will face the winner to emerge from the match up between Collet Lake and Poor and Famous set for Saturday, thirty-first May, out at the Yabra Sporting club grounds. You won’t want to miss it.
Hey folks, that’s out show for today. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
