Determined not to be beaten for the second year in a row, American Robert Letting set a brutal pace which separated him from the rest of the field early in the 2010 Run Barbados Powerade 10K and came close to setting a new record yesterday.
Letting ran side by side with Philip Lagat last year but was unable to respond when Lagat turned on the burners in Cheapside, dethroned after winning in 2008. He set a blistering pace over the first 2K and stopped the clock in 28:53 minutes, the fastest time since Joseph Kariuki’s 28:40 in 2002.
He was running alone along the Princess Alice Highway, Spring Garden Highway, the turn at Workbench and through The City to return to Bay Street.
Letting narrowly missed the record, with Canadian Reid Coolsaet a distant second in 30:10. American Simone Sawe was third for the second consecutive year in 30:35 and Lagat fell to fourth in 30:46.
“I feel good. Last year I was second and today [yesterday] I managed to be first,” Letting said after the race.
“Last year we went together and [Lagat] beat me, so I changed the plan. I had to go faster than last year. [Yesterday] was a bit cooler than last year. Last year was hot so it was favourable for me.”
Lagat admitted he was not in the best shape since he was unable to return to Kenya to train, and had to do his conditioning in the United States. He said Letting set a very fast pace over the first 2K and by the 5K mark, he realised he wouldn’t be able to catch him.
Tough race
“This year the race was tough. I said if I go at his pace, he is going to kill me. So I just went on, tried to keep my pace until I finished the race. The race was good; I can’t complain.”
Janet Cherobon-Bawcom, the 2007 champion, returned after a two-year break to take the top prize among the women. With a race in the Dominican Republic under her belt and lots of speedwork, she was 11th overall out of the 283 starters.
“I knew it was going to be a little humid, so I prepared according to the humidity. But the weather wasn’t too bad today. The last time I was here it was sunny and that made it too hot,” she said.
“I just came here and thought I was going to run my own race and try to run under 34.
I went out, except I wasn’t in the front.
Mary Akor was in the front for the first 3K.
“After 5K, I had a cramp. I was on pace to run under 34, but I had the cramp and I just tried to fight it through, 1K at a time. I am really thrilled to win again,” Cherobon-Bawcom added.
Last time, she was on the old course by the Garrison Savannah, but believes this one could be a really fast course, barring the wind along Spring Garden Highway.
Her time was 34:39, Canadian Megan Browne (14th) was second in 35:06 and Akor third in 37:18, 25th overall.
“I ran pretty consistent,” an excited Brown said after the race.
Just too hot
“[Cherobon-Bawcom] was the same distance ahead of me from the third kilometre and I couldn’t pull her back in. As much as I wanted to pick up the pace and grab her, it was just too hot for that today for me.”
With Matthew Wright overseas, Jerome Blackett had the honour of being the first Barbadian home in 35:04, 13th overall and about two minutes faster than last year.
After a group which included the first two women, Barbadians Mark Greenidge (35:36), Harrison College and Elite Distance schoolboy Ibrahim Hinds (35:49), Keith Cumberbatch (36:10),
Leo Garnes (36:15), Jamar Maynard (36:20) and Patrick Bourne (36:50) came home in quick succession.
Amanda Maximilien was the first Barbadian female in 44:39 minutes, 65th overall, while Wesley Worrell was the first wheelchair competitor.
“I tell them I was going to do it in 30 minutes,” he said when he crossed the finish line.
In the 3K, Princess Margaret swept the top three positions among the boys. Twin brothers Shamar and Shamel Maynard were first and second, followed by Dexter Mayers. Shani Adams of Coleridge a& Parry was the first schoolgirl.
