THE 5th annual CARICOM 10km Road Race will be held here in Guyana on June 28, and defending champion Alika Morgan has made it clear that she is intent on retaining the prestigious title on her home turf.

Morgan, who is the four-time champion, has won every staging of the event since its inception four years ago and this year she is campaigning for her time as champion to span half a decade.

Leslie Black, coach of the Rising Stars Athletic Club who coaches the athlete, said that it means a lot to Alika as this is the first time the race will be hosted in Guyana and she longs to win it in her homeland.

The coach said that Morgan is currently working arduously to get back to her usual self. He went on to say that the defeat she suffered in her final CARIFTA Games earlier in the year was a major ‘eye opener’ but she is now trying to improve.

Black elaborated that his athlete felt the searing pain of defeat because at the time of the competition she was not up to par in terms of fitness. Since that less-than-acceptable performance, Morgan has pulled off impressive feats – one least of which is her showing at the LinWest Games where she clocked 11.m 01.s in the 3 000m race.

Morgan, who won the Suriname 10 km race last year, said that she is enthusiastic and confident ahead of next month’s event, “I feel confident going into the race and I’m confident that I will win this year”, professed a self-assured Morgan.

She says though she is only able to train in the mornings because of her ongoing exams she is currently focused on formation work and is also doing much strength training in her preparation.

Morgan said she does not expect much challenges but she is wary of former CAC champion Janelle Williams of Antigua.

Two weeks prior to the June 28 staging of the CARICOM 10 km Morgan will have a chance to test her readiness, as she will depart Guyana for Trinidad to take part in the local 10 km road race.

“I’m prepared,” she concluded, as an assurance that she will not repeat her CARIFTA mishaps.