Williams wins Digicel’s Breast Cancer Awareness race

By Treiston Joseph

Geron Williams was a man on a mission on Sunday morning as he pulled off a brilliant comeback to win the sixth edition of Digicel’s Breast Cancer Awareness cycling race that concluded on Vlissengen Road just in front Camp Ayanganna.

Immediately after the race, Digicel handed over a cheque worth G$472,000 to the Cancer Institute of Guyana to help to bring awareness to a disease that is not only plaguing women in Guyana, but globally. The cheque was a collaborative effort of Digicel, the entrance fees of over 50 cyclists, as well as private donors.

Meanwhile, Williams clocked one hour, 52 minutes, 23 seconds to win the race. The 30-lap event that started on Vlissengen Road, then to Carifesta Avenue before turning on Camp Street then onto Thomas Lands and back to Vlissengen was a gruelling event that tested the endurance of the rider as Cortis Dey finished second. Jornel Yearwood took third, Andrew Hicks fourth, Mark Harris fifth and Paul DeNobrega sixth.

Williams missed the initial breakaway in the first three laps of the race and had to work his way up to the lead peloton by the 10^th lap of the race. After catching the lead peloton, Williams tucked in and rode a smart race, breaking away for the win on the homestretch to capture the title.

Williams dedicated the win to one of his friends that died from cancer and urged all those with cancer to keep on fighting. On the race itself, Williams shared that it was a tough one and hoped to carry his form into 2018.

Williams also took three sprint prizes, while Dey and Kenneth Grant Stuart took one each. Meanwhile, Dey won the junior category ahead of Briton John and Adealie Hodge, who finished second and third respectively.

Junior Niles won the Veterans Under-45 category ahead of Paul Choo Wee Nam, who finished a close second, and Stephen Fernandes, who finished third, while Ian Jackson won the Over-45 Veterans category. Kennard Lovell finished second and Amorick Sankar third.