Four local cyclists left the island on August 10th to represent Anguilla in three major cycling competitions in the region.
The four athletes, Hasani Hennis, Zambezi Richardson, Huekemi Hughes, and Delroy Carty, will compete in the Caribbean Cycling Championships held from August 12th to 13th; the Pan American Cycling Championships in the Dominican Republic on August 13th and 15th; and the Subway 3-Stage Races in Antigua on August 21st and 22nd.
In a press conference held at the Coronation Park on Monday, August 9th, Director of Sports, Mr. Andrew Collins, said: “The Government of Anguilla, the Ministry of Social Development and the Department of Sports would like to wish the delegation of four, and their two accompanying officials, every success as they leave our shores to represent Anguilla.
“It is noteworthy that the Anguilla Cycling Association was among just a few of the national sporting associations which executed events for the sports-loving population of Anguilla as soon as local conditions provided the opportunity. To this end, the Anguilla Cycling Association was happy to plan, promote and execute several fun-filled, competitive rides, as it continues to build a love for the sport.”
The Ministerial Assistant with responsibility for Sports, Mr. Merrick Richardson, also spoke: “I have a great respect for cycling. The hours that one needs to put into training, just to be competitive, are so amazing. And I am impressed to see that you have put in the long hours into your training efforts. I want to say congratulations to all of you for putting in the hard work to get to this point. I trust that you are all ready for these Caribbean championships, and I wish you all the best as you go.”
The President of the Association, Mrs. Sharon Lowe-Richardson, said: “I am so excited about us being able to participate in these upcoming championships. It has been a struggle for us, especially since we have had our challenges with the Covid-19 pandemic. But I am confident that Anguilla’s team of four will perform to the best of their abilities.”
The President continued: “Zambezi and Hasani have recently been overseas in contests in Europe and the United States, and I am sure that the expertise which they have gained will be thrown off on Huekemi and Delroy, who have both been practising hard for the competitions, and I expect to see their hard work play out in the championships.”
The Vice-President, Mr. Calvert Fleming, commented about his confidence in the four riders: “Over the past five to six years, I have seen tremendous growth in the sport of cycling locally. I have witnessed much development in the riding skills of Huekemi, Zambezi and Hasani over the years in several races. So I am looking forward to seeing these riders perform in the Championship races — and it is my hope that they will make Anguilla proud.”
Hasani Hennis was not present at Monday’s press conference, as he was stationed overseas. But each of the other three athletes responded to questions asked of them by Media Sports Anchorman, Mr. Tony Fleming.
Tony: Delroy, you have had the shortest trek to stardom in representing Anguilla in the championship cycling races. What contributed to your efforts in bringing you this far?
Delroy: What has contributed heavily to my participation in these races is the cycling environment. My performance in such a short time, prior to the races, has been encouraged by the local riding environment. When I first started to ride, it was basically for the purpose of exercise, but when I saw riders like Zambezi, Huekemi and others so involved in training, I said it looked cool, and my desire to get involved in the training environment, myself, has propelled me to this level. I have gotten a lot of useful riding tips from these riders.
Tony: Zambezi, you seem to be quite excited and geared up to participate in the championship races. You have had some racing experience abroad. How do you plan to use this experience in helping you win in the upcoming races?
Zambezi: First of all a good rider must have fitness. Even though I might have the experience, if I do not have the fitness, my experience alone would be of no use. So I have had to put in a lot of hard work to train and keep the body fit. With fitness as a key factor, I hope to draw from my past experiences during the races. And it is not just the fitness of my body, but I must also make sure that all the parts on my bike are functioning right as well. So fitness of the body and fitness of the bike is the key.
Tony: Huekemi, you represented Anguilla at the OECS championship races. How are you viewing these upcoming races (since you have competitors from places like Mexico and Uruguay), and how do you plan to equip yourself as you go?
Huekemi: The race will be hard, I know, but I feel we have a good enough team. We are all willing to sacrifice ourselves for each other. It is a team effort, so I don’t mind giving my all for my teammates in helping them however I could. I do feel that we really have a good chance to win this year, based on the amount of training that we have done.
