By Laurice Laird
With just 12 days to go until the 2013 Brixton Bolt, I caught up with last years’ winner Andre Nembhard and three year old trendsetter; Justiano Rookwood.
Andre, who’s winning time was 10.23 seconds, said: “My mum let me know about it. She saw it on the news, so I went online, entered, raced, and won. What more can I say.
“I’ve never done a street race before but it was good fun. I won the heat, and then I won the final. One of my uncles recorded it; I saw the massive gap so I felt confident for the final. The prize was a few meals at some restaurants, pub drinks and a three month gym subscription. More than anything I got the title. I live in Brixton so I’m happy I won.”
He added: “I want to re-claim my title. I’m injured at the moment. If I do go this year, I’ll definitely be nervous.”
The Brixton Bolt is a 100m race that takes place through the middle of Brixton, to find the fastest resident in each of the age categories.
Vanessa Chase, who entered her grandson Justiano into last years’ event told Brixton Blog how he was up against competitors over twice his age.
She said: “We were in the market and I said let him just enter. He wasn’t training apart from a little running around in the playground.
“He was coming last anyway, but he fell down and I told him to get up, and I ran the rest of the race with him. And because everyone was cheering him on, he was a winner.”
The race is set to take place on Sunday July 28th 2013 at 1pm on Pope’s Road, Brixton. For more information and details on how to enter, please see their website. For updates on Twitter @brixtonbolt.
May the best man, woman and child win.
