Cox stuns Ballantyne in Barbados

BRIDGETOWN: Kenyan runners dominated the two major races at the Run Barbados Series on yesterday, but the biggest news was the shock victory of Trinidad and Tobago’s Curtis Cox over Pamenos Ballantyne in the half marathon.

St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Ballantyne had chosen to defend his Run Barbados half-marathon title over running at Jamaica’s Reggae Marathon on Saturday in light of an expected challenge from Zephrinus Joseph of St Lucia. Joseph was a no-show at the half marathon and Cox finished almost four minutes faster than Ballantyne to clock one hour, nine minutes, 34.1 seconds for a stunning reversal against a runner that has tormented him for much of the last two or three years. From a field of over 250, Ballantyne was second in 1-13:00.3 and TT’s Errol Williams completed the top three with a time of 1-14:40 On the women’s side, Fidellia Ramirez of TT finished third in 1-37:52.3 to be the highest placed finisher from the Caribbean. Anna Trave of Norway was the first woman to cross the finish line at 1-30:54.3 and Italian Cinzia Arduzzoni was second in 1-34:22.5.

In the marquee event that attracted over 100 runners, Kenya’s Wilson Komen won the Barbados marathon. He ran strongly over the second half of the race to open a lead on the other runners to finish in a time 2-32:50.4 ahead of Victor Ledgers of St Lucia (2-33:48.8) and Great Britain’s Hugh Jones (2-38:48.7). Canadian Nicole Stevenson was the first woman to finish the marathon, clocking 2-55:11.0, ahead of multiple winner of the event Kim Goff of the United States, whose time was 3-18:26.7. Sandra Holmes of Great Britain finished third in 3-22.11.5. The first Caribbean woman to cross the line was Victoria Ghiorse of the British Virgin Islands in a time of 4-16:47.6.

It was a 1-2-3 for the Kenyan men, while women’s marathon world champion Catherine Ndereba took the top women’s prize in the 10K. Ndereba clocked 34 mins, 26.0 secs to stamp her authority on the race and to finish well ahead of Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Russia (35:59.6) and Pilar McShine of Trinidad and Tobago (39:25.7). Two minutes separated the top three men. Joseph Nderitu clocked 30:18.5 to win the men’s side of the 10K ahead of compatriot Augustus Kavutu (30:20.3) and Michael Murili (32:02.7). Guyana’s Cleveland Forde was fourth overall and the first Caribbean runner to finish, clocking a time of 33:05.2, ahead of fifth-placed Leo Garnes of Barbados with a time of 33:25.1.