LOCAL long distance queen Alika Morgan and 17-year-old Samuel Kaitan cried foul at the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), after they were not allowed to compete in the recently held National Under-23 championships. Both Morgan and Kaitan are members of the Rising Star Track Club, which formed a coalition with Running Braves, with the latter being the one to register out-of-town athletes on behalf of the former, to compete at all AAG meets.
“I feel very disappointed at not being given the opportunity to compete at the Under-23 championships, because of the fact that I won the  1 500 and 3 000 metres last year and was looking forward to defending both titles this year,” said Morgan.
She added, “What hurts the most is that it took me back to my days as a junior athlete, when I was not allowed to represent Guyana at the Caribbean Junior and later World Youth Championships because of minor issues.
“I feel the AAG does not have the athletes and their well being at heart, since they could have given us the opportunity to register and compete, seeing that it is not our fault for the late registration, as we figured Running Braves would have done it already.”
Both Morgan and Kaitan were one hour late when they went to register for the Under-23 championships and were willing to pay the late fee of $500 each so they can be allowed to compete, but were not given the opportunity to do so.
“We were one hour late at the time of registration and unless they had other things in mind with regard to the athletes who were competing in the two races that I won last year, I see no reason why I was not allowed to compete.
“More so, I feel bad for Samuel who travelled all the way from Rupununi to compete. What message are they sending to other athletes in the outlying areas, who wish to come and compete and meet way past the deadline time?” asked Morgan.
She said athletes who are not strong, would shy away from the sport, since the rules only apply to a certain sect of athletes – whose name she refuses to mention – and called on the AAG, which is led by Colin Boyce, a former athlete himself, to revisit their registration process.
“I was invited to numerous meets outside of Guyana and sometimes we reach there after the registration deadline has passed, but they still accommodate us. I have seen athletes register to compete during the running off of a championship, long after the deadline has passed,” said Morgan.
The soft-spoken Kaitan, who competed at the Junior Carifta Games in Bermuda, said he was highly disappointed at not being given the chance to compete adding, “I cried my heart out when I was told that I will not be allowed to run. I felt frustrated while my spirits were dampened.”
Meanwhile, both Morgan and Kaitan journeyed to neighbouring Suriname where they competed in the Telesur 10km, with Morgan successfully defending her women’s title she won last year, breaking the record that she set in the process, while Kaitan finished second in the junior category.
Guyanese middle distance athletes completely dominated the meet, with Cleveland ‘Little Kenyan’ Forde, Kelvin Johnson and defending champion Lionel D’ Andrade occupying the top three positions in the male category, with Forde eclipsing D’Andrade’s record of 33:50s that was set last year.
Both Morgan and Kaitan have their eyes set on the second leg of the event which runs off in Nickerie on May 19, while the following day they are looking to compete in the third President’s/Jefford Track and Field Classic which will be held in Linden at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
Asked if the task would be challenging for her, a smiling Morgan said no as she views it as a challenge and she loves challenges, while Kaitan said he is looking forward to competing and giving the mining community a show.
They both expressed thanks to Colors Boutique, president of the Guyana Olympic Committee K. Juman-Yassin, East Coast Restaurant, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, Roscoe of East Coast Restaurant and their manager Leslie Black and his family, for their continued support.