media_artricles :: 2016

Matthew Hagley retains Cross Country crown

Nero shocks Canadians in Run Barbados

Matthew Hagley of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force successfully defended his title when the National Cross Country Championships were staged at the Queen's Park Savannah on Sunday.

In the Men's 10k race, Hagley completed the course in 36 minutes, 32 seconds, just five seconds ahead of Shirvan Baboolal of Richard Jones Racing (36:37).

Collin Pereira, representing Mayaro Athletic was third in 37.03. Jules La Rode (ZC Athletics) and teammate Errol Williams rounded out the top five.

Tonya Nero did not defend her women's title, and that gave opportunity to Samantha Shukla of Richard Jones Racing to cruise to victory in the 8k race in 34.56. She was over four minutes faster than April Francis of Abilene Wildcats, who completed the course in 39.33, while Michaelene Williams of UTT was even further back at 47.59. The other top five finishers were Wendy Shallow of TTRRC (48.36) and Roxanne McKenna (49.54).

In the junior divisions, Joshua James of Cougars took the Boys Under-18/Under-20 title in 30.49 from Anthony Phillip of Richard Jones Racing (31.09) and Kriston Yahkarhim of Palo Seco (31.29); Aaliyah Mitchell of Abilene Wildcats took the Girls Under-18/Under-20 6k (27.17) and Ben Bannister (Mason Hall) was the Under-12 Kids one-lap winner.

Meanwhile, Nero made her trip to Barbados worthwhile when she scored a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the women's race of the Run Barbados event.

In the Colombian Emeralds International 10K, Nero came from five metres behind on the home stretch to steal the race from Canadians Lanni Marchant and Natasha Wodak on the line in 36:36.49.

Marchant (36:37.39) and Wodak (36:37.49) looked comfortable winners, with the two friends opting to hold hands and cross the line together after distancing themselves from Nero. But she took advantage of their lapse in judgement, running them down from behind before passing them right at the finish to grab the tape in front of the duo.

"I was sure I was settling for third but then I realised they were kind of running at the same pace, so I decided to challenge them," Nero told the Barbados Nation.

It was anything unlike the men's race, where Martinique's Jean Habararema won quite easily after pulling away from Kenyan Stephen Tanui to win in 31 minutes, 28.65 seconds.

Former champion, T&T's Curtis Cox looked like grabbing the opportunity to defend his crown in the Cave Shepherd after jumping out to an early lead, but Habararema and Kemei caught him towards the end of the first lap and went stride for stride with him going back through Bridgetown.

Cox then fell by the wayside going up Spring Garden Highway before eventually calling it quits in Fitts Village.

Selected Cross Country results:
Men's 10K
1. Matthew Hagley (TTDF) 36.32; 2. Shirvan Baboolal (Richard Jones Racing) 36.37, 3. Colin Pereira (Mayaro Athletic) 37.03, 4. Jules La Rode (ZC Athletics) 37.08, 5. Errol Williams (ZC Athletics) 37.18, 6. Elvis Turner (Tobago Falcons) 38.10, 7. Jameel Cupidore (UTT) 38.50, 8. Christopher Mitchell (TTDF) 38.58, 9. George Smith (TTDF) 39.12, 10. Derrick Perouza (Richard Jones Racing) 39.43.

Women's 8k
1. Samantha Shukla (Richard Jones Racing) 34.56, 2. April Francis (Abilene Wildcats) 39.33, 3. Michaelene Williams (UTT) 47.59, 4. Wendy Shallow (TTRRC) 48.36, 5. Roxanne Mc Kenna (TTRRC) 49.54

U-18/U-20 Boys 8k
1. Joshua James (Cougars) 30.49, 2. Anthony Phillip (Richard Jones Racing) 31.09, 3. Kriston Yahkarhim (Palo Seco) 31.29, 4. Otis Barker (Toco Titans) 31.37, 5. Kyle Young (Dovers)

U12 Kids 1-lap
Ben Bannister (Mason Hall) 7.73, 2. Jahfa Woodley (Memphis Pioneers) 7.53, 3. Jarell Blaise (Toco Titans) 8.01, Keron Pierre (Palo Seco) 8.25, 5. Yeshua Prescod (Mason Hall) 8.29

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