The time to make Alika Morgan National Sportswoman of the Year is now or never for the National Sports Commission (NSC), the body entrusted with making such a decision.
What Morgan has achieved this year in the field of athletics, not only for herself but the country, is second to none by any other athlete in any other sporting discipline, including defeating all her local competitors on the local circuit.
The 18-year-old Morgan even recorded victories out of Guyana during the course of the year, and in an invited comment with Stabroek Sport opined that this year she should be walking away with the award, based on her achievements so far.
“When I look back at my performances for the year so far there is only one thing that will complement same, the Sportswoman of the Year award. Having been runners-up in both the junior and senior category last year, I told myself that this year nothing or nobody by God’s grace will stop me.”
For the year, Morgan has recorded 35 victories, both on the local and international scene, including her debut run in the Suriname marathon last month where she came out tops in a time of 3hrs:23 minutes.
Commenting on her feelings about that race, Morgan stated that the course was a very difficult one with lots of turns both on the upward and downward journey, but she soldiered on with victory in mind at all times.
“My aim is to win the award this year and from the time I entered my first competition, which was the Suriname 10km road race on 15th January where I was victorious to my last race to date, the Barbados 10km a few days ago, that was my focus.”
“So despite being faced with such a course in my first marathon, I relied on my aim for the year to see me through, as I know that once I perform and do so creditably, there is no way that I can’t be rewarded with the award,” said Morgan.
The Phillip’s Private Tutoring student trains six days a week from as early as 5am to 7am and the only day she does not train is Saturdays when she assists with chores in the home of her caretaker/manager/coach Leslie Black.
Morgan competed in the Barbados 10km where she suffered a hamstring injury and had to slow the pace for the remainder of the race and this she said prevented her from recording a better time.
“This being my last event of the year, I worked very hard and felt very much prepared as I intended to improve on my positioning from last year’s event. Even though I developed the hamstring injury at the 8km mark, I still managed to place third overall.”
“However, I still managed to retain my status as the first Caribbean champion athlete, a feat I had won in last year’s race even though I had slowed to a jogging pace for the last 2 km of the race, due to the injury which had occurred whilst I was positioned in second place,” said Morgan.
She further stated, “The injury forced my withdrawal out of the half marathon the following morning and judging from the performances of those who competed on the distaff side, I said to myself that if I was a competitor in that race, I would have won and even recorded a time better than the winner.”
“I must say that I am satisfied with my overall performances for the year 2008 as I was victorious in the 5km, 10km, half marathon and even my debut full marathon, as no other Caribbean athlete did better than me, despite the fact that I competed at the senior level whilst still a junior.”
Morgan took the time to thank her coach and chaperon Leslie and Avril Black respectively, her training partners as well as her sponsors, including Vic Insanally, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s Terry Holder and Cops Security, among others for their continued support.
She said further that, “My year is over and already I am focusing on the Junior Carifta and the Caribbean Games for 2009 amongst others, whilst at the same time to go out there and defend my titles won in 2008 with pride and dignity not only for me, but all of Guyana whose eyes will be on me.”
Even her coach Leslie Black had indicated to Stabroek Sport that he will be making the nomination for his charge to the NSC, along with the record of her accomplishments for the year 2008.
“This was the step I took for past athletes under my guidance, namely Kelvin Johnson, Reona Cornette and even Alicia Fortune, the 2007 senior Sportswoman of the Year and I have no hesitation in doing the same for Alika this year, as she deserves the award this time around. There are no ifs and buts about it.”
A word of caution to her competitors: “Be afraid, be very afraid.”
