Ballantyne returns with “De Heart uh Barbados” win

After a four month lay off from the Caribbean roads, Vincentian Pamenos Ballantyne returned to his stomping ground last weekend to register a win in “De Heart uh Barbados” 10K race.{{more}}

Ballantyne won the event last Saturday in a time of 34 minutes 41 seconds. Lionel D’andrade of Guyana was second. In third place was Blackette Jerome of Barbados.

For his efforts, Ballantyne collected BDS$750.

But Ballantyne’s participation was merely co-incidental, as he was on his way to Trinidad and Tobago to defend the OWTU 15K. Ballantyne has delivered victories in that event ten times.

Ballantyne told SEARCHLIGHT that it was because of the LIAT pilots’ strike that he used the time while stuck in Barbados to put his fifth lien on the event.

The premier Caribbean distance road runner for the past decade, Ballantyne disclosed that he had been in England for the past months, and was part of the Sharpesbury Barnette Harriers Club in London.

Stating that while there he had not been idle, Ballantyne said he placed first in the Wembley 10K, as well as the Oxbridge 10K, and finished third in the Hastings Half Marathon.

He said that the rough winter conditions restricted his involvement in more races.

Ballantyne was thankful for the hospitality of Dave Pamah while in England. Pamah, who is of Vincentian parentage, represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kula Lumpa, Malaysia, in the 800 and 1500m.

Ballantyne and Lisa Daniel head to Jamaica next weekend for the Caricom 10K, an event that he has won on five occasions.

He also has his eyes set on making this country’s Track and Field team for the Central America and Caribbean Games set for Puerto Rico next month.