Jamol Eastmond couldn’t wait to give local cycling a timely reminder of his talents.
The gifted teenage rider opened this year’s track league season with a stunning treble, including a thrilling 15 000-metre open, after barely missing out on another victory as the highlight performer of Thursday’s Barbados Cycling Union event at the National Stadium.
The night was supposed to feature Colombian visitor Jaime Ramirez, who is a training partner of local cyclist Darren Matthews.
But Eastmond stole the spotlight, relegating Ramirez to a supporting role after beating the South American in both the “Devil Take the Hindmost” and the ten-lap 5 000 metres.
Shane Weekes eventually ended the Team Aspire cyclist’s winning streak by demoting him to second in the 500 metres before Eastmond was back at it again in the night’s final race.
Watching Brandon Wilkie break away nine laps into the 15 000 metres, Eastmond eventually hauled back in the G4S rider with three 1 500 metres remaining before edging Wilkie’s teammate Ross Callender in a thrilling finishing at the line. Ramirez, also of G4S, was third.
Tunnio Weekes had a similarly dominant performance in the tiny mite category, sweeping all three events he competed in under the A Class Battery Golden Wheelers banner.
Seasoned veteran Esther Rosemond-Miller (AMOND Fugen) replicated her fine form on the road this season to upend Deidre Mayers (Velo Caribe) in both women’s races.
Fugen’s talented junior cyclist Kristin Vanderpool also had a pair of victories but missed out on securing a treble as Wilkie captured the 5 000.
Independent rider Colin Sealy finished unbeaten in the category four division while Ricky Tempro (Velo Caribe) and Shamar Rollins (Golden Wheelers) had two wins apiece in the masters and the BMX 10-12 divisions, respectively.
