Weekend sports not stopped by Felix
James Adderley, Reporting
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and we feel privileged to present to you this Tuesday version of Sports Monday. Hurricane Felix really could have put a hurt on this small nation, and we are certainly thankful to Jehovah for His mercy.
In the meantime folks, before Felix put the country on high alert, the Belize Defence Force staged it’s mighty marathon package on Sunday. We now join Michael Godoy who jogs in casually and uncontested to win the Male 10K Run in a time of 46 minutes 56 seconds. The battle for second place produced this intense sprint that sees David Joseph burn Allison Trapp in a photo finish. At 5K class Luke Martinez easily takes this men’s event in 19 minutes 56 seconds. Basketballer Kevin Serobi holds down fro second place. Dean Pollard settles for third in this class. In the meantime respect is due to Agnes Palacio who beat all comers in the finale 5K with her time of 25 minutes 55 seconds. Teresita Grajales gives a gallant effort but settles for second. And Earla Smith rounds out the top three finishers in this category. Molly Dane was able to handle a strong challenge to emerge winner in the female 10K posting 56 minutes 42.09 seconds. Haruka Yokouchi had to back off and settle for second. We raise our hats to Luis Hulse who still has the drive as he wins the male half marathon in 1 hour 28 minutes 30 seconds. Rojelio Pop pulls up second at this level and Derrick Castillo makes his presence felt with this third place finish. On the female side of this 12 ½ mile run, Elsa Lucas proves she’s still number one with her time of 2 hours 1 minute 12 seconds. Maria Metzler takes second place and Monica Senin seems very happy with her third place finish. Now meet the man of the meet, Ian Conia, one of two contenders to brave the twenty-six mile run entering the Marion Jones, posting a time of 3 hours 22 minutes. And we say congratulations to the big man. Hey, you’re number one! Marcus Castellanos also completes the run, but he takes a backseat to Conia. And folks, the only female to complete the 26 mile run is Kay Cannon, and girl all we can say is, you’re one of a kind.
Turning to the cycling scene, the Belize Cycling Association’s 50 mile open race through the Burrell Boom circuit on Saturday bought and some thirty riders. And they’re off in search of fame and fortune, as we always say. Talk about the variables in cycling, six miles into the ride Giovanni ‘Froggy’ Leslie finds himself on a flat front wheel, but he has the support of Team Santino and he goes on. Around Mile eight Byron Pope, Darnell Barrow, Brandon Cattouse and Marlon Castillo unite to execute the first serious breakaway of this bicycle race. This four would run all the way to the turning point at the Boom cut off on the Northern Highway.
In front of the Kolbe Foundation Complex it’s a brand new configuration people, with Ernest Meighan stepping to grab this station prize. It’s more jamming Jow Meighan when takes the premie at mile ten and this creates a brand new breakdown. By the time the race rolls past mile four and a half it’s a four man break that is sold and it’s heading to the tape. Now here’s the sprint for the W, Jow Meighan of Santino’s pulls the trigger. Byron Pope tries to answer the challenge, his answer is inadequate. Today belongs to Golden One who takes the W in 2 hours 15 minutes 3 seconds. Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes pulls up for a deserved second place. Glen O’Brien of BelCal takes third. Juan Gonzales of Santinos rolls up for fourth place. Now here’s the sprint for fifth place and well, it’s not much of a sprint as Collin Mahaia rounds out the top five.
Ernest Meighan, Winner
“It’s a big win for me. I call it a big win cause I haven’t won no race, it’s been a while and my team is training the gym right now and we are racing, training for the National Road Champion. And this is a race to prepare us for the National Road Champion.”
Kwame Scott
“Did you get a lot of help from your team today?”
Ernest Meighan
“Well not really, because I did a lot of work in this race because it’s not a really big race really, to boast about. It’s a race to try and get me in shape and try to get my pacing back together. So, and I notice I drop off a lot on my sprinting so I just trying to try get back my rhythm back for the main races coming up.”
Kwame Scott
“What is your prediction for the National Road Championship?”
Ernest Meighan
“Well, our team is going to win. Definitely sure our team is going to win cause we are not going to come out here and not win, because it’s lone local guys and I think we are the best local guys on our team.”
Kwame Scott
“Byron, what does this second place position mean for you? How important was this race today?”
Byron Pope, 2nd Place
“Well I tek every race serious once I enter because I know they race yah da fi points and the end of the year maybe I could stand wa chance fu go ketch wa international trip, who knows.”
Kwame Scott
“Looking forward to the National Road Championship in about two weeks, what can we expect from Byron Pope?”
Byron Pope
“Well I haven’t made a decision if I will ride the junior or the senior race as yet. When the time come I wa figure out weh I wah do cause I’m still a junior.”
Kwame Scott
“Give me a prediction. Tell me what will happen if Byron Pope rides the junior road championship and what would happen if Byron Pope rides the elite road championship.”
Byron Pope
“Well I know all the juniors will be behind me because they know when I’m around it’s danger. And the seniors, I know they are a little afraid of me too.”
Kwame Scott
“So what will happen, is it a first we’re looking at in either category or…?”
Byron Pope
“Well I can’t really mek da decision right now Kwame, but I will be around.”
Folks we certainly want to thank Kwame Scott for providing us with the interviews. In the meantime the next big event on the Cycling Calendar is the Acros National Road Championships set to blast off Sunday September eighteenth. It’s a biggie, you won’t want to miss it. Anyway folks, that our show for today. We invite you back next week. Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
