Guyanese Kelvin Johnson wins Trinidad and Tobago’s International Marathon

Guyanese distance runner Kelvin Johnson won the Trinidad and Tobago International Marathon (TTIM) on Sunday in a time of two hours, 55 minutes and 33 seconds.

Johnson was among a selected group of 27 athletes who qualified to physically cover the 26.2-mile marathon distance over a four-lap circuit along the Chaguaramas bicycle path.

Tobagonian Elvis Turner finished second in 2:58.50, while the former TTIM champion, veteran runner Curtis Cox, was third in 3:25.22.

Meanwhile, Polish distance runner Ryschard Ellert completed the course in 4:59.36. Ellert is a marathon globetrotter, and Sunday’s TTIM was the 130th marathon in which he has participated, and Trinidad was the 99th country.

In the women’s division, Shardie Mahabir topped the small field in 3:38.51. Chantel Le Maitre secured runner-up spot in 3:40.00, while Alana Lee Wo rounded off the top three finishers with a time of 4:16.47.

Additionally, TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) President Brian Lewis completed his eighth consecutive 26.2-mile marathon/walk in six hours and 59 minutes on Sunday.
Lewis and a small group of supporters began the traditional TTIM trek from St Mary’s Junction, Freeport at 2.35am, and arrived at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain finish line, at 9.34 am.

Since the TTOC’s Athlete and Welfare Preparation Fund was launched in December 2014, Lewis joined forces with the TT International Marathon (TTIM) to host a marathon/walkathon to help raise funds for Olympic athletes. He has covered the challenging distance annually since 2015. This year however, will be Lewis’s last marathon/walk as TTOC President, since his second four-year term comes to an end in April.