GUYANA’s top female distance runner Alika Morgan has withdrawn from participating in the South American Games slated for Chile from March 7.Addressing members of the media yesterday at Olympic House, High Street, Kingston, president of the Guyana Olympic Association K. Juman-Yassin informed that Morgan will no longer be a part of the Guyana contingent that will participating in the Games.
According to Yassin, Morgan wrote the GOA informing that she would not be available to represent Guyana at the Games since she is not adequately prepared and she was given a very short notice about her selection to represent Guyana.
The latter excuse Yassin said is not true, since Morgan knew that she was shortlisted for the Games months ago.
Yassin made it known that he is very much disappointed at Morgan who has in the past done very well for Guyana.
Yassin informed that Morgan’s place will be filled by Alicia Fortune, Guyana’s top locally based female sprinter.
Guyana will be represented at the Games in Chile by boxers and track athletes.
The other track athletes selected are: 2012 Olympian Winston George, Cleveland Forde, Clevland Thomas and Wayne Harlequin.
George will contest the men’s 200 and 400-metre races; Forde, the men’s 1500 and 5000-metre events; Thomas, the men’s 800 and 1500-metre races, and Harlequin, the men’s 400 and 800-metre races.
Fortune will compete in the ladies 100 and 200-metres events.
The boxers selected are: Imran Khan (52Kg), Eon Bancroft (69kg), Dennis Thomas (75Kg) and a lone female in Theresa London (75Kg).
Khan, Bancroft and Thomas who are all part of the Guyana contingent contesting the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA) Goodwill tournament which ends this evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, all won their first round contests on Friday evening.
Khan knocked out Jamaican Patrick Sahadeo in the third round, Bancroft won a unanimous points decision over St. Lucia’s Ron Bastien and Thomas defeated Arthur Langelier, also of St. Lucia on points.
GBA’s technical Director Terrence Poole will accompany the boxers as manager/coach, while Lindon Wilson was named as manager/coach of the track athletes.
According to Yassin, once the boxers and track athletes do well at the South American games, they stand a chance of representing Guyana at the Glasgow 2014 XX Commonwealth Games which begins on July 23 this year.
Questioned as to why Fortune was named as Morgan’s replacement, Yassin said Fortune, as the current top sprinter in Guyana, has never represented her country at this level and despite her age, it is only fair that she be given that opportunity.
Asked why one of the United States based athletes could not have filled in, Yassin explained that those athletes who are on scholarships in the United States have just started attending colleges or are waiting to start attending colleges.
Written By Michael DaSilva