Nationals 2022: Cyclists Sampson and Spencer take road race titles

By Avenash Ramzan

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Sherwin Sampson continued his fine form and Clivecia Spencer stamped her authority on Sunday morning when the 60^th National Schools’ Athletics, Cycling and Swimming Championships opened with the cycling road race in Georgetown.

Contested under persistent showers around the outer circuit of the National Park, the males rode for 40km and the females for 25km.

Sampson, fresh off his championship-winning ride for Guyana in the Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) on Saturday, outsprinted his IGG teammate Alexander Leung to hand District 12 (East Georgetown) early points in the championship.

Sampson was timed at 52 minutes, 36.28 seconds, while Leung of District 11 (North Georgetown) clocked 52 minutes, 54.48 seconds.

It was Leung’s third consecutive second place finish in as many days, having also finished as runner-up in the IGG Time Trial on Friday and the road race on Saturday.

Mario Washington of District Six (Corentyne) placed third, stopping the clock at 54 minutes, 02.20 seconds, followed by Adjani Cutting (District 14- East Bank Demerara), Mark Lewis (District 10- Upper Demerara/Kwakwani), Nivonne Wilson (District 13- South Georgetown), Zinedine Dos Santos (District Seven- Bartica) and Osahi Harry (District Five- New Amsterdam/Canje) in that order.

In the female division, reigning Independence Three-stage champion Spencer proved way above the competition, storming to a comfortable victory.

The District 10 rider raced to an early lead and never relinquished it, lapping some competitors in the process. The dominant victory came in 52 minutes, 34.48 seconds, almost four minutes faster than District mate Savannah Hyles, who was timed at 56 minutes, 03.50 seconds.

Suriah Duncan of District Six, a first-timer at Nationals, took third in a time of one hour, 06.21 seconds, followed by Aneisha Crandon (District Six- Corentyne), Tandecia Noel (District Seven- Bartica), Roshanna Knights (District 10- Upper Demerara/Kwakwani), Allia Alleyne (District 13- South Georgetown) and Ashanti Kennedy (District 13- South Georgetown).

The cycling championship will conclude on Monday with the various distance races on the inner circuit of the National Park, starting at 09:00h.

Swimming will also take place on Monday from 09:00h at the National Aquatic Centre, while Track and Field will take centre stage from Tuesday to Friday at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.