media_artricles :: 2014

Tonya cops B’dos Half Marathon

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s (T&T) Tonya Nero defied the odds to clinch the women’s race in the Powerade Run Barbados Half Marathon when she came home in one hour, 25 minutes, 16 seconds on Sunday to end her season with a major victory.

Nero dominated her rivals to come home almost a full two minutes ahead of second place finisher Leah Kigen of Kenya (1:27:10) and in the process exacted some sort of revenge after the Kenyan had finished second in the Martinique Half Marathon some 30 seconds ahead of her a week earlier.

The rest of the pack was literal spectators as Nero’s triple surge was too much at the seven-mile marker. England’s Amy Chalk took third in a time of 1:27:33.

“I took it easy for the first half but the girls were tired from yesterday so I ran the second half faster.”

“I am very happy to end my season with an international win and I take this opportunity to say thanks to the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA), Ministry of Sport, Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago, my Coach Paul Voisin and my training team, JenelleNedd ,Samantha Shukla and Scala Nero,” she continiues, “Thanks also to my family, friends and all who had sported me. Merry Christmas T&T.”

Nero, who used the international 10k the previous day as a warm-up, finished among the top three by grabbing third.

In the men’s race, defending champion Richard Kessio of Kenya came home well clear to prevail in a decent time of 1:09:24. Kessio was a full six minutes ahead of second place finisher Rwanda’s DiuedonneDisi, 1:15:24, with Cleveland Forde of Guyana, third in 1:19:29.

Kessio crowned off an excellent weekend having captured the men’s 10k the day before to complete the double for the second successive year.

Half Marathon results

Women
1. Tonya Nero (T&T) – 1:25:16
2. Leah Kigen (Kenya)
– 1:27:10
3. Amy Chalk (England)
– 1:27:33
Men
1. Richard Kessio (Kenya)
– 1:09:24
2. Dieudonne Disi (Rwanda) – 1:15:24
3. Cleveland Forde (Guyana) – 1:19:29

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