Magalhaes, Cole ready to seal deal in Fidelity series

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 19 September 2018

Nearly 200 runners took part.

Victor Magalhaes and Tiffany Cole put themselves in pole position to take the overall male and female titles in the 2018 Fidelity Fun Run 2-Mile Series after picking up back-to-back wins in the first two races with one left to go.

Magalhaes set a personal best time of 10 minutes and 25 seconds during the second race on 16 September, dropping two seconds from his time a week earlier. “Today was quite a steady pace run. I thought it was a good start for me and that developed into a good race and I’m happy with that,” he told CaymanSportsBuzz.com at the finish line.

The teenager, who specialises in the 800m and 1,500m on the track, admitted that being the man out front is unfamiliar territory that he is getting used to, especially with his older 345 Athletic Club teammates away at school. “It’s hard to set the pace correctly. I think my times would have dropped quite significantly [had I been chasing someone],” he said.

However, Magalhaes, who represented the Cayman Islands at the CARIFTA Games in April, said he plans to embrace the role and put in another improved performance in the finale on 22 September. “I think that’s my single objective coming into next week. I definitely want to go under 10:20 and get another PB,” he said.

Gregley Gayle was second in 10:34 and Jermaine Brooks third in 10:39.

The battle for second.

Meantime, Cole continues to be the queen of the series, as she looks to defend her title that she’s won for consecutive years.

After running 11:58 a week earlier, Cole slowed on a warmer morning during the second race to finish in 12:04. Unlike week one, where she was in a razor-thin finish with her younger 345 Athletic Club teammate Ava Hider, Cole comfortably took the win in week two.

She put the run into perspective. “It wasn’t as good as last week but this race was a better run because my first mile I got down to 5:52, which is just where I need to be but I just could not keep it on the second mile…I think my quads started to feel the impact,” Cole said.

Hider was second again in 12:21.

Tiffany Cole pushes to the finish.

The series wraps up this Saturday, 22 September. The race starts on Walkers Road outside the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre and heads south, turning right onto South Church Street and right at Denham Thompson Way for the finish.

In addition to the overall winners, prizes will be given to the top finishers in various age groups. Each race so far has attracted approximately 190 participants.