Regional long distance sensation Alika Morgan and training partner Janella Jonas, stole the top two spots at the Fatum Wisselbeker Bigi Broki Waka 10 Km last week in Suriname.
Morgan crossed the line in 39:27, while Jonas finished just over two minutes later in 41:39.The distance running duo of Leslie Blacks told Stabroek Sports that they had been training continually throughout the holiday season.
“Although it was Christmas and everything we still trained through the holidays and even on Christmas morning since we are training for the Carifta Games.” Morgan said.
Morgan also confessed that she hoped to once again gain selection to attend her third Junior Carifta games which will be held in St Kitts-Nevis in late March of this year. Morgan had been selected three times for this event but missed the 2006 games since there was no female chaperone to travel with her. A determined Morgan returned in 2007 to capture a silver and a bronze medal to make up for her one year absence from the event.
Since 2008 marks Morgan’s last year of eligibility for junior events, she will be participating in three events at the Carifta Games, providing she attends. Coach Leslie Blach intends to prepare Morgan to compete in the 3000m, 1500m and surprisingly the 800m since he claims he has a personal best of 2:09 seconds. Meanwhile 15-year-old and current national U-17 champion girls from the Guyana teachers’ Union Track and field Championships Janella Jonas, hopes to accompany Morgan and make her debut at the 2008 Carifta Games.
Jonas is currently training for the 800m and 1500m which her coach is confident she will succeed in.
