1st Stage Cross Country Championships

            First Stage

Cross Country Championships

 

 

The greens of Sevilla Golf Course might have been a bit wet and slushy in some areas after heavy morning showers but this did not deter competitors at the NAAA’s Cross Country Championships on Sunday 18^th November. In the women’s four kilometer run defending champion Shermin Lasaldo who only just one month ago at the World Half Marathon Championships in Udina Italy where she broke the National record in a time of 1:25.35, had a race on her hands when Kerticha John went to front and led for the first three kilometers, but Shermin who also recently won the UWI Half Marathon dug down deep and ran past Kerticha and took the lead over the last kilometer to finish in a time of 18:18.8, while Kerticha finished second in 18:21.8. In third place was Shermin’s teammate Samantha Shukla in a time of 18:51.1.

 

In the men’s open category over eight kilometers defending champion Richard Jones although present was unable to face the starter due to tightness in his left knee from training earlier in the week. Jules La Rode seized this opportunity and went to front from the start and never relinquished the lead. An official time could not be given to La Rode as the athlete ran extra meters after being misguided by some fans. Seventeen year old George Smith was second in a time of 30:23.8, while Quintin Griffith finished third in 30:38.1. Jones is hoping to be back up and running for the second leg of the championships on Sunday 25^th at the same venue.

 

Close to three hundred athletes ran the course ranging between the ages of six to sixty five. The kids were the first to go, covering two kilometers through the undulating slopes of the golf course. The first girl to finish was fourteen year old April Mc Clashie in 9:45.0, while the first boy was thirteen year old Mark London from Tobago. All races were keenly contested and this weekend coming should prove to be even more interesting as competitors try to accumulate points to move up the overall rankings. The Cross Country Championships culminates in Tobago on Sunday 9^th December, where the overall champions will be crowned.