By William Ysaguirre (Freelance Writer)
BELIZE CITY, Tues. Oct. 14, 2025
Belizean cyclist Derrick Chavarria won 2 Gold Medals in the Under-23 men’s Road Race and Individual Time Trial, while the 2023 Holy Saturday Cross Country champion, Oscar Quiroz won the Silver medal in the Elite Men’s road race, when the Cycling Federation of Belize (CFB) hosted the Caribbean Cycling Championships for the first time, on the Philip Goldson and George Price Highways, and the Burrell Boom and John Smith bypass roads on Saturday and Sunday, October 11-12.
Elite & U-23 Men’s ITT
In the Elite men’s Individual Time Trials held on the Burrell Boom bypass road on Saturday morning, Chavarria clocked 43:27 to win the Gold in the Under-23 category. He was 9th overall amongst the Elite riders.
Belize’s 2025 Cross Country champion, Cory Williams clocked 41:44.0 to rank 5th among the Elite riders, while Bermuda’s Nicholas Narraway clocked 39:25 for the Gold medal, and his teammate Conor White rode 40:12.0 for the Silver. Puerto Rico’s Christopher Morales Fontan clocked 41:17.0 for the Bronze medal.
Elite Men’s Road Race
The road race on Sunday afternoon was 100 miles, which began at the Diamond Hotel on the Philp Goldson Highway and proceeded to cover 3 circuits over a 30-mile loop on the John Smith bypass road, onto the George Price Highway to Hattieville, then via the Boom bypass road to the Philip Goldson Highway and back to the John Smith bypass, returning after the 3rd circuit to the finish line in front of the Mirab Store. Oscar Quiroz was at the front of a lead trio with Benjamin Ny Le of the Island of Guadeloupe, Republic of France, and Rudy Germoso Gomez of the Dominican Republic in the last 4 miles entering the City after Haulover Bridge; and Quiroz seemed poised to win the Gold in 3:49:58, until 20 yards from the finish, Germoso got up off his seat and outsprinted Quiroz to the line. Quiroz took the Silver and Ny Le claimed the Bronze.
U-23 Men’s Road Race
Derrick Chavarria led the chase group to finish 4th overall in 3:50:40, and win the Gold for 1st place in the Under-23 category. Cuba’s Jose Alberto Dominguez Gonzalez took the U-23 Silver medal, hard on Chavarria’s wheel; and Trinidad’s Jadian Neaves was 7th overall to claim the U-23 Bronze. Belizean rider Jyven Gonzalez finished 11th in 3:50:50, ahead of Narraway who was 12th. Belizean Jaylen Briceño finished 15th overall in 3:53:15, while Cory Williams finished 20th in 3:53:40. Two times Cross country champ Justin Williams finished 33rd overall, and Carlton Robinson was 40th; but, because their times were outside the official time gap of 8 percent of the winner’s time, their result was recorded as “did not finish”.
Elite Women’s Road Race
Teniel Campbell of Trinidad and Tobago rode in solo to win Gold in the Women’s 70-mile road race over the same course on Sunday morning, with only 2 laps around the Boom-John Smith circuit, clocking 3:06:20. Bermuda’s Gabriella Arnold took the Silver in 3:06:51, while Cuba’s Evlyn Diaz Matos rode in 3:07:59 for the Bronze.
U-23 Women’s Road Race
Melsey Perez Vega of the Dominican Republic won the Gold in the Women’s U-23 category in 3:25:11, finishing 6th overall, while her teammate Flor Espiritusanto Estevez took the Silver in the same time. Cuba’s Lianis Mesa Silveira claimed the Bronze, finishing 8th overall. Belize’s 4 elite women: Gabrielle Lovell, Nathalie Lovell, Patricia Chavarria and Paulita Chavarria were listed as “did not finish”.
Elite Women’s ITT
Campbell also won Gold in 28:39.4 minutes in the Women’s Individual Time Trials (ITT) on Saturday morning, while Jamaica’s Lori Sharpe took the Silver in 31:58.0 and Bermuda’s Gabriela Arnold claimed the Bronze in 32:14.4.
U-23 Women’s ITT
Cuba’s Liannis Mesa won Gold in the Women’s ITT Under-23 category, clocking 32:15.6 for 4th place overall, while Belize’s Nathalie Lovell clocked 40.33.7 to rank 6th overall. The Bahamas’ Kami Roach and Sienna Mackey took the Silver and Bronze in 42:45.7 and 44:45.8, respectively, finishing 7th and 8th overall.
Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations, Hon. Anthony Mahler joined Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner and CFB president Glen Flowers in presenting the medals and prizes to the winners after each race.
