Cyclists savour Commonwealth Games experience

THIS COUNTRY’S top two cyclists, Zefal Bailey and Enroy Lewis, both concur that they are for the better following their debut sojourn at the XXI Commonwealth Games.

The games were held at the Currumbin Beach Front Circuit on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Participating in the 104.57 miles/ 168.3 km (nine laps of the circuit) road race last Saturday, the penultimate day of the games, the two were pulled out, after failing to keep up with the maximum ten minutes deficit to the leaders.

A crash early in the race caused a pile- up, thus impeding several cyclists, including Bailey and Lewis.

Placed in alphabetical order, according to one’s country, the two Vincentians were lined up near the rear of the race, however, Bailey had made some ground on his competitors.

“The race was really, really hot, but had it not been for the crash, I believe to myself that I would have been among those who were timed,” a confident Bailey said after the race.

“This was my first race with so many people and I would have learnt from it… It means that I will have to train harder,” Bailey projected.

Also making that solemn promise to train harder was Lewis.

“It was a good experience for me, but it means that I just have to train harder if I want compete with the big boys,” Lewis related.

Bailey and Lewis were among 168 entries from 34 countries. Only 50 of the entries were timed.

No Caribbean cyclist was among the lot.

Taking the gold medal was Australian Steele Von Hoff; silver was Jonathan Mould of Wales and bronze, Clint Hendricks of South Africa.

ENROY LEWIS, during last Saturday’s road race at the XXI Commonwealth Games in Australia

ZEFAL BAILEY IS at left, trailing Oshane Williams of Jamaica