Geovanni Choto Krem Cycling Classic Champion
The 22nd Annual Krem Sugar and Cream Cycling Classic have now etched its way in the pages of Belizean Sports annals.
The 91.4-mile event, which started from the Corozal Free Zone and concluded at the junction of Central American Boulevard and Mahogany Street, attracted some 62 Elite riders. From this amount, only 34 riders concluded the course with an amazing 28 riders abandoning the race.
At the end of 3:43:10, it was Giovanni Choto of Western Spirit that rode into the history book when he became the first rider to cross the finish line. Choto is the first Belizean to capture this event since 2009. The second rider to cross the finish line was Belizean Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes in a time of 3:43:11, while the third rider to cross the finish line was Belizean Peter Choto of Western Spirit in a time of 3:43:43. This was the first time in many years that Belizeans laid claims to the top three positions.
Belize to host regional anti-doping meeting and training
The National Sports Council, Belize Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association, Central America and Colombia Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) in collaboration with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) held its Annual Board of Directors Meeting and the Doping Control Officers Training in Belize City from February 13th-17th, 2012.
The official Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, February 14th, at 9:00 am at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel, and was declared open by Charles Gibson, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of the Public Service, Governance Improvement, Elections & Boundaries and Sports.
The Board of Directors Meeting and Doping Control Officers Training brought together some 35 participants from all seven Central American Countries in four days intense discussion and training.
The Doping Control Officers Training was conducted by Lorena Martinez and Ryan Carpenter from USADA.
On Friday, February 17th, the Doping Control Officers carried out five random selections Out-of-Competition Anti-Doping Collection from Belizean athletes.
New President for the Football Federation of Belize
The Road Map that was agreed upon by the Ministry of Sports, the National Sports Council, the Football Federation of Belize and Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA the world governing body for Football) had its final piece put into effect on Thursday, March 15th, 2012, when new elections for the executive of the Football Federation of Belize, the parent body for football in the country was executed under the newly approved Statutes and Electoral Code Commission.
The Congress saw the participation of 20 delegates from the seven affiliated football associations and the Premier League, which is the top football league in the country. The high light of the congress was the election of a new executive for the federation. The elections were observed by Marco Leal and Rafael Tinoco from FIFA, Allan Sharp and Patrick Henry from the National Sports Council of Belize.
At the end of the elections, the delegates voted in favour of a new executive that will steer football in a new direction. Elected to serve as president for the Football Federation of Belize was Ruperto Vicente. For the post of Senior Vice President Sergio Chuc was elected.
For the post of Vice President Rawell Pelayo was elected. For committee members, the following were elected Cruz Games and Marlon Kuylen.
Oscar Quiros is Junior Cross country Champion
The Belize Cycling Association sponsored its 13th Annual Junior Cross Country Cycling Classic on Sunday, March 25th, 2012. The race started from the ferry in Succotz Village to Mile 2 (Leslie’s Imports) on the Western Highway. The 13th Edition of the Junior Cross Country Cycling Classic saw the participation on some 20 riders with 18 of them completing the 74-mile event.
With a time of 3:50:11, Oscar Quiros was the first rider to cross the finish line to capture the junior title. Quiros was followed by Phillip Mencias of Telemedia Cycling Team, Deezan Spence of D & D Cycling Team finished third, Riis Spence of C-Ray Junior Cycling Club finished fourth and Zahir Figueroa of Cayo Up-rising Cycling Club rounded off the top five finishers.
Giovanni Choto captures 84th Annual Cross Country Classic
The 84th running of the annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic is now history. This annual event, which started at 6:00 am on Saturday April 7th, 2012, at the Old August Meat Shop on the Western Highway, attracted 78 riders at the starting line. The 142.4-mile event travelled the full length of the Western Highway to San Ignacio Town around Columbus Park and then to the Memorial Park in Belize City.
At the end of 6:16:45, it was Belizean Geovanni Choto of Western Spirit Cycling Club that rode away with the coveted title. This win brought the five-year drought to an end. The second rider to cross the finish line was Belizean Brandon Cattouse of C-Ray Cycling in a time of 6:18:57. Third place in this year’s event went to Darnell Barrow of Santino’s Belize Elite; fourth place went to Byron Pope of Benny’s Megabytes Elites; and fifth place went to Gregory Lovell of Santino’s Belize Elite.
Laneisha Jones hurled Perfect Game
The 78th Belize City Senior Female Softball Competition continued at Rogers Stadium on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012, between Mirage Lady Rebels and Hurricanes. The air that night was not right for the ghosts of softball past to make their annual pilgrimage to the MECCA of Softball in Belize. But despite the fact that all the right ingredients for a perfect game were not there, Mirage Lady Rebels’ Laneisha Jones had other things on her mind when she hurled her first ever PERFECT GAME in her softball career.
Laneisha Jones, the starting and winning pitcher for Mirage Lady Rebels faced the maximum batters that she could face 12 and returned all 12 batters. In the process, she recorded 8 strike outs and allowed 4 ground ball outs.
Kaya Cattouse new Cross Country Champion
The Belize Cycling Association sponsored its 23rd Annual Women’s Cross Country Classic on Sunday, May 13th, 2012, Mother’s Day.
The 69-mile event, which started from in front of Columbus Park in San Ignacio Town to Mile 2 on the Western Highway, attracted some 6 female riders.
At the conclusion of the race, it was Kaya Cattouse of C-Ray Cycling Team that outsprinted 3-time champion Shalini Zabaneh of Team Sagitun to capture her first female Cross Country title. Cattouse completed the ride in a time of 4:29:00.Â
Shalini Zabaneh, who lost her bid for a 4 peat, had to settle for the bridesmaid spot this time around. The third rider to cross the finish line was Marinette Flowers, who is unattached followed by Patricia Chavarria of AAA Loans Cycling Team, and she was followed by Kirah Eiley of C-Ray Cycling to round off the top five finishers.
Placencia Assassins National Football Champions of Belize
The first ever Premier League of Belize Football Competition is now history. The second and final game of the championship series was played on Saturday, May 12th, 2012, at the Football Federation of Belize Stadium in the City of Belmopan between the previously unbeaten Police United and the Placencia Assassins.
The Placencia Assassins went into the second and final game as the favourite to win the championship as it had beaten Police United a week earlier by the score of 2-1 out at the Michael Ashcroft Stadium in Independence Village. In reality, all that the budding champion really needed was a draw against the Police United, while the Police United squad needed to win the match by a 3-goal differential.
And so it was to be that the Placencia Assassins was crowned the National Football Champions of Belize with a 3-2 aggregate score over the Police United.
Belizean Athlete failed Anti-Doping Test
The National Anti-Doping Organisation of Belize (NADO) informed that athlete Kleon Coleman of the Belize Volleyball Association failed his Out-of- Competition Anti-Doping Test that was carried out by the Central American Regional Anti-Doping Organisation on February 17th, 2012.
The sample collected from Kleon Coleman returned an Adverse Analytical Finding with the presence of Hydrochlorothiazide and metabolite Chloraminophenamide.
In accordance with the National Anti-Doping Organisation of Belize Anti-Doping Rules (Article 8) and the World Anti-Doping Code (Article 8), Kleon Coleman along with his Medical Doctor and representative attended a hearing with the Results Management Committee on Friday, April 27th, 2012.
As a result of this hearing, and the facts presented by Kleon Coleman’s medical doctor, and his representative, the Central American Results Management Committee concluded that the period of ineligibility prescribe by Article 10.2 should under and by virtue of Article 10.4 be reduced to three (3) months ineligibility as from the date at which the test was taken begin February 17th, 2012.
Belize Boxing Federation elected New Officers
The Belize Boxing Federation held its General Assembly Meeting on Saturday May 19th, 2012, at the National Sports Council offices at Rogers Stadium.
The highlight of the General Assembly was the elections of officers for a new executive. The elections were conducted by Mr. Patrick Henry Ag. Director of the National Sports Council. The following were elected to serve Moses Sulph (President), Roberto Canul (Vice President), Henry Usher (Secretary), Sherwin Garcia (Assistant Secretary), Dawn Coye (Treasurer), James Adderly, Frank Martinez and Clinton Tucker (Committee Members). The elected officials will serve in their respective capacity until October 31st, 2015.
UNCAF Secretary General arrives in Belize
The Secretary General of UNCAF, Mario Monterrosa and FIFA Instructor, Gary Stemple arrived in Belize on Tuesday, June 19th, 2012. According to the release sent out by the Football Federation of Belize, the sole purpose of Mario Monterrosa’s visit to Belize is to conduct an administrative session with the Executive of the Football Federation of Belize.
