Morgan, Sital return with beaming confidence

Dec 08, 2009 Sports

Caribbean champions ecstatic over last season

Alika Morgan (left) and Chavez Sital shortly after returning from Barbados yesterday, display their medals and trophy for Kaieteur Sport.

By Edison Jefford
Chavez Sital never thought that when he made a decision to take up athletics, he was also making a decision to commence a potential illustrious career that got a major boost when at just 16 years old he won a major Caribbean race.
Sital has only been competing for one year. His track record in that time speaks as loud as his feet on road race courses. He added to his notable performances this year when he got the top podium place in his age group in Barbados.
The national junior distance athlete ran 1:28.54 seconds to win the Under-19 grouping of the Powerade ‘Run Barbados’ Scotia Bank Half Marathon in Barbados on Sunday as his team-mate, Alika Morgan placed second in the Open race.
The duo returned to Guyana yesterday following their emphatic performances at the meet and sat down with Kaieteur Sport to reflect on their respective performances. The ecstasy was clear in the interview with the Caribbean champions.
“It was my first half marathon and I feel real good about my performance. I go a lot of congratulations from other athletes. I feel really good,” Sital said, adding that he was not threatened throughout the gruelling 13-plus mile race.
“I feel like I could run the marathon now, but I know that I am not ready. Maybe when I reach like 25 years old or so,” Sital continued. He said that his improvement has more to do with his dedication than favourable training conditions.
The young distance athlete had competed in the Nature Valley ‘Run Barbados’ 10k Road Race the previous day where he finished ninth overall among the seniors. His subsequent return to compete in a half marathon is astonishing.
The feat meant that Sital had back-to-back competitive events worth more than 10,000m each. He went to Barbados against the background of winning the first and second stages of the South American 10k in the Boys’ 16-18 Group.
“I improve a lot from when I started running and I would like to just thank my coach, Mr. (Leslie) Black and all those who have supported me, including my family and sponsors,” the quiet and mannerly Sital told this newspaper.
Morgan rated her performance as “excellent” since she returned from a career-threatening ankle injury that she sustained earlier this year, which led to her underperformance at the Junior CARIFTA Games.
“Even though I was counted out for this year after my injury, I still have good times to be proud of now that the year is finishing. In fact, I would say that my times were very good and I am glad about that if nothing else,” she said.
“I would say that I am fully fit. I did not do so well the day before (in the 10k, where she got third overall) but I am usually better over the longer distance because I get enough of the time to adjust to the pace and so on,” Morgan noted.
Though the athletes were obviously happy about their performances, both of them did not get to the zenith easily or without snubs. Morgan and Sital were differently overlooked at two separate levels before departing to Barbados.
Morgan, who placed second in both first and second stages of the International Women’s race of the South American 10k, was overlooked by the Athletics Association of Guyana for the third and final stage of the event in Panama.
The South American 10km started October month end and concluded in November since three countries were involved, Guyana, Suriname and Panama. There was no reason that was given for Morgan’s non-selection for the event.
Sital, on the other hand, missed the National Schools’ Championships, not because of not being able to compete, but because he was simply not selected. He was clearly saddened at not being able to compete at the mega schools’ contest.
The athletes’ coach, Leslie Black said that he was extremely grateful that his work with a novice, Sital and with the experienced Morgan was paying off. He said that he will focus on some technical areas with them in the new season.
“Morgan is not suppose to lose so closely as she did not the 10k that means that she does not have the killing instinct coming down to the bottom of the race, and at her level you need to have that or else you cant win nobody,” he said.
Black boasted that Morgan has put in another good performance this year. He said 2010 is a scholarship year for the top junior distance athlete. There is already an offer but it is for Morgan to grab with her CXC Examinations looming.