Pamenos Ballantyne to train in the States?

Zephrinus Joseph, a St. Lucian distance runner has been praised by Pamenos Ballantyne. The kudos came after last Sunday’s Tobago marathon.

From the North Windward village of Sandy Bay, Ballantyne has emerged as the region’s best long distance runner. {{more}}

He suffered a defeat in the Clico Trinidad and Tobago marathon earlier this year, but rebounded in Tobago last Sunday.

One of Ballantyne’s victims then was Curtis Cox, who beat him in that Clico Marathon.

But that loss helped to put the Vincentian on track.

“It helped me to focus harder. I am training harder,” Ballantnye said.

He crossed the finish line outside Dwight Yorke Stadium in one hour, six minutes, 47 seconds. He beat St. Lucian Zephrinus Joseph (1: 07: 45) into second place with Trinidad and Tobago’s Denzil Ramirez third in 1:10:56.

Ballantyne stated: “I could have run faster. I wasn’t challenged.”

He however relished the showdown with Joseph and paid compliment to the St. Lucian: “He ran a good race.”

He recalled: “For the first 10 Kilometres, we were side by side. Then I decided I am going in the lead. This is where I decided to put on the challenge.”

Ballantyne’s attention shifts to the 10 K carded for St. Kitts next month, and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) half-marathon in Antigua October 30.

Pamenos, a centre of controversy, was keen to run in a race with Joseph. Joseph anticipated a clash in the OECS Half Marathon two years ago. But action by the local Athletic Association prevented Ballantyne from competing. Joseph on a scholarship in the United States took the OECS title in Ballantyne’s absence.

Last Sunday was another clash. But Ballantyne proved his superiority.

The Vincentian running machine expects to get a coach “very soon,” and according to him: “I expect to be based in the States later in the year or next year.”

But Ballantyne has another matter. Since September 2004, the salary paid to him by Palm Island Beach Resort has been suspended. He outlined that “the hotel was seriously damaged,” hence their inability to pay him.