RUSSELL ELCOCK is back with more silverware.
The national junior road and time trial champ accounted for one of Barbados’ two silver medals at the just concluded Junior Caribbean Road Race Championship in Aruba. Elcock, one of the five-member team, finished second in the individual time trial, having crossed the line in 24 minutes and 54 seconds, before injury forced him out of the subsequent road race. Jamol Eastmond picked up Barbados’ other silver in that event after coming second in the 80 kilometre trek. It was the first time since 2005 that Barbados didn’t win a gold medal, coming on the heels of Elcock’s two victories in the juvenile category last year and Mario Forde’s junior double back in 2008.
Elcock’s winning time in last year’s juvenile time trial was even faster than that of the victorious posting in the junior category in 2009. Coach Greg Downie attributed the performance to a lack of preparation, because of team members’ examinations in the period just prior to the two-day championships. “Even though the competition was stiff, I believe that I wasn’t given enough time with the team in advance and so we didn’t get in enough preparation,” Downie said. Kristin Vanderpool, Brandon Wilkie and Jair Harris rounded out the five-man team.
(JM)
