Alika Morgan and Samuel Kaitan were among top local distance athletes to win gold medals at the recent Telesur 10k final leg in Suriname.
Morgan clocked 39:34 seconds in the senior female category while the 18-year-old Kaitan won the junior male category ahead of Suriname’s 2013 CARIFTA 5000m silver medalist, Clifton Betje.
The two athletes told Stabroek Sport that the final leg was challenging, adding that the wind was gusty.
“The course was different from the first leg and the wind pattern was hard,” said Morgan.
“It was difficult and hilly,” was Kaitan’s assessment.
Despite the strong head winds Morgan indicated that she took 31 seconds off last year’s time of 40:05 seconds.
“I am contented with my performance,” the multi Telesur winner said.
She registered 39:30 seconds in the first leg.
Kaitan, the national schools championship road race champion, said he was happy to know that he could have competed with the other junior and senior athletes. The overall fifth place finisher said he stayed with the pack for the first 5k of the race before separating to claim his victory.
He confirmed his participating at Sunday’s Independence Half Marathon while Morgan was unsure whether she will compete.
Both athletes, expressed gratitude to their sponsors who made the event successful.
Meanwhile, in other results Cleveland Forde completed his clean sweep in the senior male category while Kelvin Johnson, Cleveland Thomas and Lionel D’Andrade finished second, third and fourth respectively.
Jevina Straker and Alicia Fortune were the junior and masters (35-45) first place finishers. Fortune’s daughter, Andrea Foster was second to Straker. Other first place masters winners were Sherline Phillips and Llewellyn Gardener.
