Source: www.guardian.co.tt
Story by: Andrew Gioannetti
World Champion endurance cyclist, Edwin Avila from Colombia, will be among the top athletes competing in the Petrotrin International Cycling Fest and Palo Seco Games at Skinner Park, San Fernando from 7.30 pm today. The event, under the auspices of the T&T Cycling Federation and Petrotrin will feature a high calibre series of races between top cyclists from the United States including Darren Matthews, Javed Mounter and Michael Blanter as well as other quality regional visitors such as Warren McKay and Alanzo Greaves arriving from Guyana and Marloe Rodman and Tinga Turner from Jamaica.
Avila’s countrymate Manuel Javier Tunjano will also make the trip.
The T&T team coached by Desmond Dickie will consist of Njisane Phillip, Thireef Smart, Rudy Ashton, Haseem McLean and Varun Maharaj. David Baird is the team’s manager while Christopher Sellier is the ever requisite team mechanic. Also on the cards is a track and field competition to be competed by local athletes representing four zones in Trinidad - North West, East, South Central and the Tobago zone.
The schedule will accommodate professionals, semi-professional and amateurs of all ages, both male and female. The cycling program consists categories of “Tinymites” to “International and Invitational” and “Masters 60”.
The “Flying 200” will start proceedings to be followed by 30 other events. The International and Invitational “Devil take the hindmost” event will conclude proceedings until 1 pm on the following day where the Javelin Throw in the Women’s Open category will pick up. Chairman of the Organising Committee, George Comissiong has announced that a number of sporting icons will be honoured for their contributions to the Palo Seco Games over the years as part of the 60th Anniversary celebrations. Distribution of prizes will take place throughout the final day, Sunday, in between the events.
The closing ceremony is scheduled for 8 pm on Sunday night.