The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

CHRISTOPHER Saintus and Yunelis Lightbourn celebrated their second victories in the Bahamas Roadrunners’ Bahamas Half Marathon yesterday.

They both collected $1,000 each for their victories and an additional $250 as the local residents to emerge as the champions.

Their races were held along with a 10-kilometre and 5K races where trophies were presented to the first three finishers in each category. Each competitor in all of the races received a commemorative medal once they finished the course that started and ended at Arawak Cay.

For Saintus, it was a back-to-back victory and the 18-year-old graduate of CI Gibson Secondary High School said he’s just getting started in his road-running career.

“My performance was great. I came in confident. The wind was strong and so coming back was a bit of a challenge because I was all by myself,” he noted. “Otherwise, the race was easy.”

After taking a few years off, Lightbourn said she was thrilled to be back in such a competitive mood to win the title again.

“It was a bit challenging with the wind and after almost an hour delay, it made it even more challenging,” she stated. “But we ran our race. We set up a strategy, we went with it, we accomplished it and so I’m very happy with the results.”

At 48 years old, Lightbourn said it’s never too late to achieve one’s goal. She was even more ecstatic when entertainer Alia Coley called her on stage and serenaded the song “This girl is on fire” to her.

Olivia Nottage, competing in the half marathon, was the winner of the female 20-29 category, but she celebrated as if she was the overall winner.

“I felt that I did good, considering the fact that my feet were swollen and I had a cramp. I still finished in two hours and 29 minutes,” she said.

“This is the greatest day of the year for me. I’m going to buy myself an extra large pizza and I’m going to eat every last piece by myself. Thank God I finished and won.”

In the 10k race, Tineka Goncalves, a Canadian residing in the Bahamas, captured the 30-39 category and was so overjoyed by her accomplishment.

“I missed my goal by 27 seconds. I wanted to get under 50 minutes, but I was really happy with my performance, so it was a good day in the Bahamas,” she stated. “The competition was great. I was really motivated by the people around me.”

Louise Munroe, a long-time marathon runner, said she was delighted to be back home to compete in a 10k race in which she won the female 50-59 10k divisional title.

“This is my comeback run,” said Munroe, who travels between the Bahamas and Europe with her husband. “I love running and this has been a great morning for me.”

She just celebrated her 54th birthday on November 5, so it turned out to be a belated present to herself.

In the 5k race, Alik Faraggi of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, but now residing in the Bahamas, said she was surprised when she won the female 20-29 category.

“I didn’t expect to get the trophy,” she said. “I didn’t know how many people were running in my category. But the course was fun. Too bad it started a bit late, but I am glad I won.”

The Rebman family from South Carolina made an impression in the 5k as well with brothers Alex and Chase coming first and second in the make 13-19, father Doug taking the 50-59 category and mother Cindy fourth in the female 50-56 category.

“I felt really good,” said Alex Rebman, who won the overall title. “Both of us knew that we would do well here. I took a look at the previous times and so I knew I would do well and I did well.”

As the elder statesman, Doug said he was happy to yield to his young boys.

“I’m getting old, so it’s good to see them perform,” he said. “But to be here in the Bahamas and winning my category, I’m just blessed with that.”

Former basketball player Jeff Rodgers Jr said he switched to running for the past six years and he wanted to challenge himself and see how well the hard work paid off.

“It wasn’t a bad course, but the head wind going and coming was a bit of a challenge,” pointed out Rodgers, who was third overall. “I’m kind of used to it, running in the morning, so I’m kind of used to it. But those two young guys (Rebman brothers) from the United States pushed me to my limit.”

Bahamas Roadmasters president Anastasia Turnquest said the event was a tremendous success.

“We had an unexpected late start because the Police had cleared up something in the road,” said Turnquest, who was assisted by the vice president.

“But overall, it was a success. We had a little scare on Friday with the weather, but it was perfect today. Everything went well and we’re looking forward to next year for an even bigger and better event.”

This year’s event attracted about 345 participants, including a group from Italy, Paris, the United Kingdom and the United States, which provided an international flair.

The Cancer Treatment Centres of American City of Hope was the title sponsor.

Part proceeds from the event will be donated to the Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group and the MD Patient Navigation Services.

• The top three finishers in each category are as follows:

5K race

Females 12-Under - Victoria Sandi - 26:22.57; Tessa Knowles, 33:15.91; Alyssa Roberts - 45:51.97.

Females 13-19 - Takashi Seymour - 32:40.26; Peyton Beek - 33:48,68; Shaniyah Pinder - 45:37.90.

Females 20-29 - Alix Faraggi - 36:53.60; Lea Camille - 43:21.16; Deverne Neely - 50:13.93.

Females 30-39 - Caitilyn Cuthbertson - 25:25.67; Cecilia Barros - 28:54.76; Latisa Burnside - 39:45.84.

Females 40-49 - Lynn Pritchard - 30:57.65; Jonineth Cabague - 31:42.54; Keione Royside - 38:48.31.

Females 50-59 - Gasbriella Fraser - 26:01.52; Charlotte Thompdon - 30:06.79; Wendy Pearson - 36:23.87.

Females 60-over - Sharon Kelly - 52:41.62; Alessandra Macchi - 57:10.37; Vernice Cunningham - 1:00.58.63.

Males 12-and=-under - Stafford Sweeting - 25:55.48; Caiden Bain - 26:29.76; Kai Weightman - 37:17.46.

Males 13-19 - Alexander Rebman - 20:59.21; Chase Rebman - 23:04.75; Callum Pritchard - 27:58.40.\

Males 20-29 - Pablo Huber - 25:12.21; Tony Gardiner - 29:19.54; Jonathan Lockhart - 36:31.17.

Males 30-39 - Jeffrey Rogers - 24:15.99; Pedro Barros - 29:25.55; Carlyle Bethel - 34:04.56.

Males 40-49 - Daniel Weightman - 37:16.23; Ashton Goodman - 46:53.96.

Males 50-59 - Doug Rebman - 26:50.58; Richard Symonette - 27:33.36; Andrew Hanna - 32:16.09.

Males 50-andp-over - Alberto Cause - 40:51.47; Jeremiah Hepburn - 47:56.92; George Dimopoulos - 53:33.46.

10K

Females 30-39 - Tineka Goncalves - 50:27.44; Erin Fox - 56:31.26; Brave Brave - 1:01:088.69.

Females 40-49 - Iola Knowles - 53:20.60; Sarah Chemaly - 53:39.09; Lana Radermaler - 53:42.62.

Females 50-59 - Louise Munroe - 51:34.22; Z Eve Maycock - 52:51.72; Denise Abraham - 56:28.44.

Females 60-and-over - Anne Lowe - 1:07:58,17; Ebbie Jackson - 1:10:19.25; Eunice Johnson - 1:24:47.44.

Males 20-29 - Jeremy Noguero - 47:03.48; Bernard Farquharson - 51:20.57; Adrian Stubbs - 1:12:48.64.

Males 30-39 - Anthony Saunders - 42:31.61; Dion Cunningham - 45:34.46; Jyles Turnquest - 1:00.36.08.

Males 40-49 - Curtis Miller - 44:53.24; Enrico Toote - 46:21.69; Jason Maynard - 47:00.82.

Males 50-59 - Kevin Sweeting - 59:53.17; Otis Ferguson - 59:59.46; Edmund Rahming - 1:00:15.10.

Males 60-and-over - Een Colebrooke - 1:05:49.13; Dave McCorquodale - 1:16:36.41; Basil Longley - 1:41:41.13.

Half Marathon

Females 20-29 - Olivia Nottage - 2:29:25.04; Vera Ailman - 2:30:48.46; Tarra Smith - 3:00:33.50.

Females 30-39 - Tracey Eckert - 1:39:53.34; Pia Venegas - 1:49:57.80; Barbara Kiraly - 2:00:31.53.

Females 40-49 - Ynelis Likghtbounr - 1:30:10.62; Suzy Eneas - 1:38:55.71; Anne Iversen - 1:42:57.88.

Females 50-59 - Kora Butler-Wright - 2:12:47.53; Sarah Farrington - 2:16:31.82; Beth Nottage - 2:35:57.50.

Females 60-and-over - Maria Rapuano - 2:24:46.70; Patrice Chea - 2:33:44.38; Anna Mazzette - 2:51:37.74.

Males 13-19 - Christopher Saintus - 1:22:51.47; Enea Gervisini - 2:10:36.10.

Males 20-29 - Dexter Adderley - 1:27:33.07; Davonte Knowles - 1:52:51.20; Kohen Kerr - 1:58:45.40.

Males 30-39 - Peter Jackson - 1:38:05.82; Marcos Aballi - 1:42:58.01; Peter Wagner - 1:44:03.63.

Males 40-49 - Oneil Williams - 1:29:39.16; Rafael Hidalgo - 1:33:45.38; Christopher Jenkins - 1:37:32.39.

Males 50-59 - Mackey Williams - 1:29:07.93; Lawrence Zogli - 1:45:22.68; Eugene Bachman - 1:57:51.40; Matteucci Giuseppe - 2:00:18.74.

Males 60-69 - Sheldon Barr - 1:57:49.63; Eugene Bachman - 1:57:51.40; Matteucci Giuseppe - 2:00:18.74.