Morgan, D’ Andrade start year on winning note

- as Guyanese athletes dominate Suriname 10K, 5K events

Lionel’ D’Andrade began the new year the same way he ended the old one with a win as Guyanese athletes Sunday dominated the Open 10K and 5K athletic events in neighbouring Suriname.

D’Andrade, who ended last year by defending his Suriname marathon title, on Sunday was victorious in the Open 5K race at the 12th annual Bigi Broki Waka meet in Paramaribo.

D’s winning time was 17:07s with Gilberto Aloeboetoe 17:24s second and Rochini Vorswijk 17:39s third.

D’Andrade was not the only Guyanese winner. Cleveland Forde won the Open 10K event and Alika Morgan was victorious in the women’s category of the 10K event.

Forde’s winning time was 34:15s while Morgan clocked 41:45s for her win.

Lionel D’ Andrade is all alone as he crosses the finish line in the 5K race on Sunday in Paramaribo.
Lionel D’ Andrade is all alone as he crosses the finish line in the 5K race on Sunday in Paramaribo.
Alika Morgan winner of the female version of the Bigi Broki Waka 10 K race in Suriname is flanked by second place finisher Andrea Foster of Guyana and Carolien Marlet of the Netherlands.
Alika Morgan winner of the female version of the Bigi Broki Waka 10 K race in Suriname is flanked by second place finisher Andrea Foster of Guyana and Carolien Marlet of the Netherlands.16

There was more success for the team managed by Leslie Black. Silver medals were won by Cleveland Thomas in the Open 10K event and by Andrea Foster who was second to Morgan in the women’s 10K race.

Carolien Marlet of the Netherlands was third.

According to D’Andrade, it was his first event for the year and he was happy that be began the year with a bang.

He told Stabroek Sports yesterday that he hoped to build on the victory especially since he plans to participate in a 10K event in Trinidad and Tobago on January 18 while the following weekend he is down to compete in a half marathon also in Trinidad.

Sponsored by Builders Lumberyard D’Andrade said some 273 persons competed in the 5k event and all completed the distance.

Morgan said she was happy to have won her first race of the year.

“I was happy that I won it and I just hope that I can complete the rest of the year as I started,” she told Stabroek Sports.

Unlike D’Andrade, Morgan does not have a definite date in mind when she will compete again so it’s back to the drawing board for her.

“It’s back to training for me I guess but I do hope to compete before the end of January,” she declared.

The winners of the respective events earned trophies and cash incentives.

Both Morgan and D’Andrade said they would like to thank their sponsors Brands security services and Kevin Jeffrey and Builders Lumberyard for making the trip to Suriname possible.