Green is fastest in Southern Games trials
Guyana Chronicle
March 19, 2004
RAWLE Green of Bedford clocked a consistent 10.5 seconds to win the 100m dash in the Southern Games trial at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary, Wednesday afternoon.
As expected, Cleveland Forde took the 5 000m, and Trevor Scotland of Police staged an upset over Atoms’ Tai Payne in the 800m.
Green ran in the first heat, beating off five other starters with a 10.5 seconds dash, ahead of policemen Brennon Thompson (10.6) and Andre Blackman (10.7).
The second heat went to Winston Sutherland of Silver Fox in 11 seconds, followed by Joshua Patterson (Royal Youth Movement) 11.1 and Brian Bristol 11.3. There were four starters.
Some claim that Green had the first jump in the final before the gun sounded but starter Dennis Smith and call-back official Amanda Hermanstine ruled the start was good and it was not called back. The others hesitated then thundered on behind -- one failing to leave the blocks.
The Bedford athlete again registered 10.5 seconds, followed by Thompson and Blackman, just as in the heats, but the results were not well taken by the crowd.
There was no controversy for Forde’s win in 17:40.6 minutes. He finished more than 200m ahead of second-placer Colin Mercurius of Police who clocked 18:18.2 minutes, with Llewellyn Gardner of Road Runners coming in a distant third in 19:43 minutes.
Mercurius went into the lead for the first lap, with Forde in third. Forde moved up to second at the start of the third lap, then towards the end of the lap took over, but Mercurius ran abreast for a while.
Going into the fifth lap, Forde took the lead and did not look back from there, increasing the gap, lapping the third-placer. He finished with Mercurius still going towards the 200m start line.
The 800m produced minor sparks. Police’s Dwayne Walcott raced into an early lead for the first 400m then Payne took over.
However, just about the 200m start line, Scotland surged forward from third place and took over the lead, to finish with a five-metre gap, clocking 1:57.8 minutes. Payne finished second in 2:00.5 minutes.
Walcott decelerated about 25 metres from the finish line and Sutherland ran in third in 2:06 minutes.