Father, son compete in cycling race

Oral Baptiste and his son Omar Baptiste, were both participants at last Sunday’s cycling race, staged by the SVG Cycling Union at the out of commission ET Joshua Airport.

The elder Baptiste, Oral, is a seasoned competitor in the senior category, while Omar is cutting his teeth in cycling.

Oral was third in the masters’ category in 56 minutes 6.10 seconds, behind Peter Durrant, who was first in 52 minutes 38.42 seconds and Steve Ollivierre second in 52 minutes 48.41 seconds.

The other competitor was Martin Bollers, who finished in 1 hour 4 minutes, 30.22 seconds, as they cycled 16 miles or nine laps of the runway.

At the other end of the age line, Omar was the lone entrant in the junior category, completing four laps of the strip in a time of 27 minutes 9 seconds, as he rode for 7.2 miles.

Omar told SEARCHLIGHT that he found it a pleasure riding in the same event with his father.

“It feels good riding with my daddy,” Omar said with a smile.

A Form One student of the St Martin’s Secondary School, Omar is also a track and field athlete, who represented St Vincent and the Grenadines at the NACAC Age Group championships.

“I like the two sports and the cycling helps me with my running and the running helps me with my cycling,” Omar commented.

Apart from the masters and junior segments, the top cyclists also competed in the elite category.

That category was won by Zefal Bailey, in a time of 1 hour 2 minutes 42.02 seconds, with Enroy Lewis, second in 1 hour 2 minutes 42.55 seconds.

Third was Samuel Lyttle, in 1 hour 2 minutes 43.00 seconds. Bailey, Lewis and Lyttle covered 20 miles, which is 11 laps of the airstrip.

Next event on the SVG Cycling Union’s calendar is set for March 4.