AAG South American 10k trial misses mark

Oct 12, 2008 Sports

– Johnson, D’Andrade disappointed but Morgan elatedBy Edison Jefford
Seasoned male distance runners, Lionel D’Andrade and Kelvin Johnson are disappointed with the organisation of yesterday’s Athletic Association of Guyana’s (AAG) South American 10k trials but not Alika Morgan.

The three athletes sat with Kaieteur Sport yesterday afternoon after competing at the event, which was expected to start at 6:00am the same morning but did not get underway until approximately half of an hour afterward.

Johnson and D’Andrade vented their disappointment but Morgan emphatically stated that she was satisfied with the race. The two male athletes made it clear that they will not compete under those circumstances again.

“There was only one water stop at the 5k mark and they did the same thing with the cups again. When I turned to come down back, I had to run in traffic because there was no official or police on the road there,” Johnson said.

The athlete had collapsed while in second at last year’s South American 10k race because he did not get enough water on the course. He had complained about the fragility and porous nature of the cups offered at the water stops.

Johnson said that there were stationary police at some parts of the course yesterday but none at the crucial turning point on the railway embankment and entrance to the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus.

On the other hand, D’Andrade indicated that he asked Cornel Rose, who is chairman of the AAG’s Development Committee, if there was sufficient water on the course and he answered in complete oblivion.

“I asked Rose and he told me he don’t know what is going, he just here to start the race and give out the rules,” D’Andrade informed, adding that he was really frustrated with the organisation of the premier event.

But Morgan had different sentiments: “the race was good. I am not disappointed. I was satisfied with the race. I think I have a good chance of winning the South American 10k this year,” the top female athlete said.

The South American 10k trials are held to select a male and a female athlete to represent Guyana at the first part (of the three–stage race) in Suriname this weekend. The second race will be held in Guyana the following weekend.

Johnson said that an AAG official told him that the winner of the race will compete at the Suriname leg but he suspects that the AAG will attempt to force Cleveland Forde ahead of him when the latter returns from Brazil.

Johnson won yesterday’s trials with D’Andrade in second place and Dennis Horatio in third. Alika Morgan won the female version ahead of Janella Jonas and Ashanti Scott, who did not complete the course.

Forde is expected to compete at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Half Marathon today in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. He left Guyana on Wednesday and is likely to return tomorrow.

Approximately 12 athletes competed at the low–key AAG trials yesterday and the body had made it clear that only two athletes will be selected. Morgan is the sure female pick but controversy is brewing over the male selection.