Forde cops second medal
..at CAC track meet
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
July 9, 2002
Carifta Games gold medalist Clevland Forde captured a second bronze medal for Guyana at the just concluded Central America and Caribbean Track and Field Championships in Barbados, and has echoed a call for president Bharat Jagdeo to get more involved and aid in the development of track and field in Guyana.
According to a report coming out of Barbados, Forde who won bronze medals in the 10,000-metre race on the opening night, and returned on the closing night (Sunday) to take another bronze, this time in the 5000-metre event, called for the President Bharrat Jagdeo to get more involved and aid the development of track and field in Guyana.
Forde returned a personal best time for the 5000-metre event by clocking 15 minutes 21.71 seconds, a major improvement on the 15:48.03 which won him gold at the CARIFTA Games in Bahamas this year.
The event was won by Mexico’s Isaias Haro in 15 minutes, 15.87 seconds, while Danny Cornieves of Venezuela took the silver in 15 minutes 18.82 seconds.
Speaking to Barbadian journalist Sherrylyn Clarke at the end of the just concluded XVth Central American and Caribbean Junior Champion-ships at the National Stadium where he won Guyana’s only medals, Forde said "I know I came out here and did my best. The Mexicans are better because they have better facilities, in Guyana we do not have a track and I really think our president should help athletes more, look after them. Some athletes don’t even have boots and they are running well" adding "I think we would perform better if we had a stadium or at least better facilities in Guyana".
The local team was made up of 10 athletes, but neither of the others were able to medal.
The diminutive Forde who faced stiff competition in the 5000m and was one of the smallest competitors, in terms of size, in the field, had to contend with the Latin Americans.
He led after seven laps, but fell steadily to fifth with five laps remaining, as the Mexicans and Venezuelans worked in tandem.
He however fought his way to the front with four laps to go and was second in the breakaway group with three laps left but again he dropped to fourth, but stuck with the pack as the pace increased.
Finding himself at third when he received the bell, Forde faded to fifth and looked done with, but being the strong finisher all Guyanese know him to be, the `Little Kenyan’ stepped on the gas at the 200-metre mark and sprinted past two opponents to be third, past the finish line.
"I should have come out and run them to my pace, but they were strong. I couldn’t really move away from them. The Puerto Ricans and Venezuelans worked together when I was in front and one person blocked me off and then the other one came and took over so it was hard on me alone" Forde is quoted as saying.
Forde said it was even more competitive than the CARIFTA Games and when he return home he would train harder.
"I was expecting to do better. Everybody wants to win, but everybody can’t win. I am going home to train harder and prepare for the next competition, so I can get two first and not two bronze" Forde said.
Caribbean athletic powerhouse, Jamaica finished at the top of the medals table with 27 golds, 13 silvers and 19 bronze for a total medal haul of 59. Mexico was second with 12 golds, 14 silvers and 7 bronze, Cuba third with nine golds and three silvers.
Trinidad finished fourth with five golds, six silvers and two bronze, while Venezuela ended with four golds, three silvers and three bronze.
Twenty two countries participated in the championships.