Distance athlete Alike Morgan said that she is disappointed that the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) failed to submit its list of nominees to the National Sports Commission in time for the National Sports Awards.
Morgan told this newspaper in an interview that she has always looked forward to the sports awards and when her name was not mentioned she began to ask questions.
Based on the queries made by herself and her coach Leslie Black, she said that she learnt that the AAG did not submit a list of nominees to the National Sports Commission.
“I competed in 22 events in 2012 and I was actually looking forward to copping the Senior Sportswoman award,” said Morgan.
Morgan said of the 22 events she competed in, she secured 19 first places. Among the events were the Suriname Bridge, National Cross Country, Trinidad and Tobago 5km Road Race, Bridge 5km in New York, Long Island 5km Road Race and the Courts 10km Road Race. Morgan said she felt she had stood a good chance of winning the prestigious award based on the events she competed in had her name been submitted. Asked if she believed it was done deliberately, Morgan said no.
Black, who is now a member of the AAG, said he too does not believe the act was deliberate.
“The whole administration was so caught up in a court matter that they just forget to submit the names of the AAG nominees. You had athletes like Kadecia Baird who won a silver medal at the junior World championship and Alika also had a lot of event for 2012 too.”
Baird, he said stood a chance of winning the Junior Sportswoman award given her performance. According to him, despite the reasons given it is still a disappointment for athletes who would have worked hard only to be told that their chances of competing for the awards did not happen because of a mistake.
Black said too that sponsors who supported many of the athletes would be seeking an explanation as to the reasons the athletes they sponsored were not up for consideration.
