Unstoppable Briton John wins Cheddi Jagan Memorial again
Briton John of United We Stand Cycle Club took 43 minutes off the clock to win the Berbice leg of the Cheddi Jagan Memorial Cycle Road Race on Sunday.
John completed the event in a time of two hours, 32 minutes and 37 seconds (2:32:37). This compares with 3:15:10 in 2024, and 3:03:35 in 2023, when he was the first to cross the finish line.
The race pedalled off from outside the People’s Progressive Party’s office in New Amsterdam and headed up the Corentyne t
Briton John receiving the winning trophy and prize from Zulfikar Mustapha
urning back at Number 63 Village before finishing at Port Mourant.
John, who was not part of the initial group that broke away from the peloton, used the momentum gained from the downward slope of the Canje Bridge to get himself with the three leaders.
The quartet kept the lead for most of the pedalling against the wind, but as the riders were approaching the turnback point, John, Jamal John and Christopher Griffith made it a trio in the lead.
However, Phillip Clark who was carrying the peloton some eight minutes behind broke away from them and pedalled his way to catch the Johns, forcing Briton to come off of his seat as the two riders sprinted to the finish line.
Clark was second with Jamal John third ahead of Griffith, Sequn Sandy, and Alexander Leung in that order.
A look at the winners’ circle after Sunday’s road race
For the juniors, Leung was the winner ahead of Alex Newton and Sidwell Sandy.
The open veteran category was won by Clark followed by Husband and Robin Persaud while Junior Niles reigned as the over-50 champion. He won ahead of Talim Shaw and Ian Jackson.
For the juveniles, Chris Hector was the winner with Dickwan Rutherford in second place.
Thirty-three riders started the race.
Before the riders were sent off, People’s Progressive Party Executive Secretary Zulfikar Mustapha spoke of the significance of the event, noting that it was not just a sporting competition but a tribute to Dr Cheddi Jagan, a leader who dedicated his life to the pursuit of freedom and democracy.
“So, as you pedal off today to Tagore and return to Babu John, every turn of your wheel, every pedal of your cycle is a turn of the wheel and the pedal to progress… So as you ride today, I know you will strive to be the winner, winning the race is important but everyone who participated in today’s race are winners, because you are riding to remember the greatest son of the soil, Dr Cheddi Berret Jagan,” the senior party official said. (Andrew Carmichael)
