S/Americans rule UWI Half Marathon

SOUTH Americans Didimo Armando Sanchez Mendoza and Palmenia Raquel Agudelo Berrio took advantage of the absence of the 2017 winners, as they were crowned the champions of the 2018 UWI SPEC International Half Marathon, yesterday.

In the 13.1-mile race, athletes battled hot conditions in the event that took competitors from UWI St Augustine to D’Abadie and back to St Augustine.

Mendoza of Venezuela was crowned the overall and men’s winner in one hour, eight minutes and 49 seconds (1:08:49).

According to one of the organisers, 2017 champion Mexico-based Cuban Richer Perez overslept and missed the start of the event. Mendoza’s winning time was almost two minutes slower than the winning time last year of 1:06:51 by Perez.

Mendoza’s countryman Pedro Jesus Mora Suescun finished in second place in 1:12:49 and third overall was the first TT runner Matthew Hagley in 1:13:22. Rounding off the top five were the TT pair of Shirvan Baboolal (1:13:39) and Sherwyn Stapleton (1:14:39).

Among the women, Berrio of Colombia was crowned the new women’s champion after winning the category in 1:20:35. Tonya Nero of TT, who won the 2017 title in 1:16:31, is currently studying in the US and missed the event. Winning the national women’s title was Samantha Shukla, who was second among the women in 1:21:56. Third place went to Venezuelan Zuleyma Amaya in 1:23:59, Venezuelan Nubia Carolina Arteaga Arpon ended fourth in 1:26:59 and TT runner Celine Lestrade was fifth in 1:32:40.

After the race, Mendoza said he is already looking forward to next year. “I feel very happy that I won the race and I am prepared to come back again next year and win it again,” Mendoza said through a translator.

Mendoza, who led from start to finish, said running alone for most of the race did not affect his motivation to win the race, “I was concentrating on the race and concentrating on my time so, it was okay to be there without having someone else to motivate me. I was working with time.” Mendoza was satisfied with the race conditions saying, “The route was very comfortable, I know the route and I am hoping to come back next year and improve my time.”

Berrio, also speaking through a translator, said she enjoyed the sunny conditions.

“The weather was good, it was not difficult and I was able to improve on my best time,” Berrio said.

On winning the race Berrio said, “I am happy, contented and I am extremely proud to be here and to win the event.

“I am grateful to God and to the organisers that I was able to come and do so well.”

Berrio said after a certain point she knew she had a chance to win the race. She said, “At about 8K I felt comfortable and I knew I could go ahead and win this.”

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe, who is an avid runner, also competed in the event.

OVERALL RESULTS

Women

1 Palmenia Raquel Agudelo Berrio - Colombia - 1:20:35

2 Samantha Shukla - TT - 1:21:56

3 Zuleyma Amaya - Venezuela - 1:23:59

4 Nubia Carolina Arteaga Arpon - Venezuela - 1:26:59

5 Celine Lestrade - TT - 1:32:40

Men

1 Didimo Armando Sanchez Mendoza - Venezuela - 1:08:49

2 Pedro Jesus Mora Suescun - Venezuela - 1:12:49

3 Matthew Hagley - TT - 1:13:22

4 Shirvan Baboolal - TT - 1:13:39

5 Sherwyn Stapleton - TT - 1:14:39