By Danielle Swain
Briton John finally tasted victory in an impressive solo break, winning his first Guyana National Elite Road Cycling Championship in Linden on Sunday.
Battling heat, rain, and hills to be crowned the men’s national champion, John finished a remarkable 19 minutes 17 seconds ahead of Team Evolution’s Robin Persaud, with Masters Time Trial Champion Kwame Ridley (Team Kaieteur Attack) rounding out the top three.
The race followed an approximate 32.18-km (20-mile) circuit thru Linden into the Soesdyke-Linden highway as far as Moblissa for a return to the start point KD&J Supermarket.
Cyclists were required to complete five (5) laps on the undulating circuit, making the race’s total distance roughly 156 km (97 miles).
This is John’s first national championship win. A Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) review of the 2021 National Road Championship saw John relegated to fourth position after a controversial 5-man sprint to finish.
“This race was a very important race for me. “
“I’ve been preparing for this race months in advance, and my coach Horace Burrowes did an amazing job of getting me ready. It wasn’t an easy race, one of the hardest races I ever did, but I’m happy that I pulled it off because it’s a beautiful feeling to be Guyana National champion,” said John.
Describing his strategy going into the race, John also shared,
“My strategy was to be patient, time the race, and make my move. So like 20 miles into the race, I saw an opportunity, and I asked my teammate Aaron Newton to give a lead out on top of one of the hills as hard as possible, and he did. From that moment, I attacked the peloton and went for it, dropping the other cyclists and rode away.”
2021 National Champion Romello Crawford did not place in the top five, along with other favourites, Jamual John of New York-based Team Foundation and Elite Time Trial National Champion Curtis Dey (Team Evolution).
The last day of national championship racing concluded with the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) prize-giving ceremony for all the 2023 National Cycling Champions.
The new President of the GCF, Horace Burrowes, thanked the cyclists for participating and adhering to the racing standards. Burrowes was particularly encouraged by the number of women riders participating in this year’s national event and shared that “the development of the sport is through women, juniors, and juveniles.”
Please see below the Guyana National Cycling Championship 2023 results.
Summarised Results: Guyana National Cycling Championship 2023 (Ten Categories)
GUYANA NATIONAL ROAD RACE CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIP 2023
Elite Category
Date: Sunday, June 25, 2023
*Linden and Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Upper Demerara Berbice
Distance: 156-km (97-mile)
1 Briton John, Team We Stand United 05:01:29:00 (Guyana National Elite Road Race Champion 2023)
2 Robin Persaud, Team Evolution 05:20:46:65
3 Kwame Ridley, Team Kaieteur Attack 05:20:47:93
4 Christopher Griffith, Team Evolution 05:27:39:25
5 Arjune Sookhai, Team Kaieteur Attack
Junior Category
Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023
*National Park Circuit
1 Aaron Newton, Team We Stand United (Guyana National Junior Road Race Champion 2023)
2 Ajani Cutting, Team Kaieteur Attack
3 Sebastian Nathan, Team Kaieteur Attack
Juvenile Category
Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023
*National Park Circuit
1 Alexander Leung, Team We Stand United (Guyana National Juvenile Road Race Champion 2023)
2 Sydwel Sandy
3 Alex Newton, Team We Stand United
Women Category
Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023
*National Park Circuit
1 Clivecia Spencer, Team Coco (Guyana National Women Road Race Champion 2023)
2 Savannah Hyles
3 Abigale Jeffrey, Team Kaieteur Attack
Masters Category
Date: Sunday, June 18, 2023
*Carifesta Avenue Georgetown to ‘Halfway Tree’, Mahaicony
Distance: 98.97-km (61.5-miles)
1 Robin Persaud 22:33:17 (Guyana National Masters Road Race Champion 2023)
2 Alexis Mendes
3 Kwame Ridley
4 Paul Chooweenam
5 Seagun Hubbard
GUYANA NATIONAL TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2023
Date: Saturday, June 24, 2023
* Mahaica/Unity Circuit
Distance: 11.3-km (7.2-mile)
Juvenile Time Trial Results (1 Lap)
1 Alexander Leung, Team We Stand United 16:25:92 (Guyana National Juvenile Time Trial Champion 2023)
2 Sidwell Sandy 19:07:25
3 Alex Newton, Team We Stand United 22:04:96
Junior Time Trial Championship (1 Lap)
1 Aaron Newton, Team We Stand United 16:53:87 (Guyana National Junior Time Trial Champion 2023)
2 Ajani Cutting, Team Kaieteur Attack 17:47:60
3 Sebastian Nathan, Team Kaieteur Attack 19:53:25
Women Time Trial Championship (1 Lap)
1 Denise Jeffrey, Team Evolution 21:17:10 (Guyana National Women Time Trial Champion 2023)
2 Clevecia Spencer, Team Coco 22:04:03
3 Abigale Jeffrey, Team Kaieteur Attack 22:38:56
4 Tandecia Noel, Team Kaieteur Attack 23:04:95
Elite Time Trial Championship (2 Laps)
1 Curtis Dey, Team Evolution 32:15: 72 (Guyana National Elite Time Trial Champion 2023)
2 Christopher Griffith, Team Evolution 34:39: 51
3 Arjune Sookai, Team Kaieteur Attack 36:11:03
4 Paul de Nobrega, Team Evolution 36: 21: 44
5 Walter Grant-Stewart 37:06:47
6 Kevin Seaton 38: 36: 84
Masters Time Trial Championship (2 laps)
1 Kwame Ridley, Team Kaieteur Attack 33: 59:79 (Guyana National Masters Time Trial Champion 2023)
2 Seagun Hubbard, Team Evolution 35:21:22
3 Jaikarran Sookai, 36:17:12
4 Paul Choo-Wee- Naam, Team Alanis 36:42:79
5 Lear Nunes, 37:09:69
6 Robin Persaud, Team Evolution 37:42:47
