Little had been said about Marlon Nicholson prior to the 19th staging of the South American 10k, organised by the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), but after Sunday’s stunning performance, a lot will be remembered.
The likes of defending champion Winston Missigher, the favoured challenger Cleveland Thomas, and the budding talent of Sir Kennard Hartog, and even Audwin Tudor were touted as the potential winners, but it was the relatively unknown talent from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) who stole the show.
From about the 7k marker, he was part of the leading quartet after Hartog was dropped from the leader’s pack.
It was from the water station on JB Singh Road, which was the homestretch into the culmination into the National Park, that the 25-year-old made a bold move to distance himself.
It was a smart tactic, given Missigher, who is widely known to have snaring finishing speed, but the former champion seemed done and dusted by the time Nicholson entered the Thomas Land entrance into the Park.
Chest high, the 25-year-old strolled to the finish line thirty-three minutes, 27.80 seconds, with Missigher (33:38.30s) and Audwin Tudor (33:39.30s) having a close finish for the other two podium spots.
Thomas (34:33.30s) and Ronell Newton (35:54.60s) rounded off the top five.
On the female side, Lindener Sheama Tyrell (41:16.09s) once again dominated to win quite a distance ahead of Aliyah Headly (45:33.00s), Assatta Eastman (48:29.02s), Tia Azore (50:53.06s) and Delicia Tinnis (52:35.09s).
The top finishers in the senior male and female categories secured a winner’s prize of US$1,000 with second place claiming US$600 and third US$400 along with genuine medals.
Meanwhile, the time of junior athlete Adriel Austin (45:32.03) would have placed her second in the senior female category, as he made light work of the Girls’ age 16-19 category, likewise did Matthew Gordon (35:04.30s) in the Boys division.
Francis King (39:08.08s) and Tanika Jones (51:24:09s) were the leading Masters athletes.
The race started on Carifesta Avenue close to the GTT Earth Station and proceeded along the East Coast Highway for a turn at the University of Guyana entrance then to the National Park for a finish at the Children’s monument.
