Belizean Geovanni Choto, 23, a native of Red Creek Village, adjacent to Santa Elena, Cayo District, became the nation’s newest sports superstar when he won the 84th Cross Country Cycling Classic on Holy Saturday, April 7.
Geovanni, riding for Team Western Spirit, “killed them all and came back alone” when he flashed by the finish line at the Marine Parade at 12:16 p.m., two minutes and twelve seconds ahead of the second place finisher, Brandon Cattouse of C-Ray, followed by Darnell Barrow of Santino’s, in front of a mad, cheering crowd of ecstatic fans lining the streets leading to the finish line.
Geovanni, in winning the 2012 Cross country Cycling Classic, became the first Belizean to capture the coveted garland since it had been “stolen” for five consecutive years by foreigners, to the dismay and humiliation of Belizeans.
Also, remarkably, 8 Belizeans were in the top 10 finishers, including Cattouse and Barrow. The story, which is now legend, is on under the sports section.