Sanaa Rae Morris warmed up for the Carifta Games with an impressive display competing at the IMG Academy Invitational in Bradenton, Florida, at the weekend.

The Bermudian sprinter posted personal best times in the 100 metres and 200 metres at the IMG Academy to suggest she is rounding into good form heading into the annual regional championships.

Morris clocked 12.28 sec on the way to a seventh-place finish in the 100m and ran the 200m in 24.77, just missing out on the podium having crossed the line in fourth.

The performances exceeded the 17-year-old’s expectations as she gradually gets back up to speed, having suffered a ruptured baker’s cyst on the back of her knee earlier this year.

“Reflecting on my performances this weekend, I really surprised myself,” Morris told The Royal Gazette. “Not giving up, trusting the process and being dedicated to my training sessions and coach’s direction have really paid off. With my knee injury we made a slight shift and trained for shorter races.”

Morris ventured into unknown terrain competing in the 100m.

“Going into the 100m I was unsure because I don’t normally specialise in this event, I normally run the 200 and 400,” she added. “But I was pleased with my new PB time of 12.28.

“When it was time for me to run the 200m, I was excited and nervous, which is normal for me. I wanted to run my best, but wasn’t expecting a certain time.

“I said a prayer like I always do. When I finished, I turned around and to my surprise I clocked another PB of 24.77.

“My two team-mates (Columba Effiong and Amani Kirnon) also received personal bests in that race. I was proud of us all, we’ve been training hard. Overall, it was a great day on the track.”

Morris has since shifted her focus to the Carifta Games, which begin in Jamaica on Saturday.

The promising athlete is competing in the under-20 4x100m and 4x400m relays along with Caitlyn Bobb, Zakayza Parsons and Ketura Bulford-Trott.

The quartet will no doubt be looking to build on their bronze medal-winning display in the under-17 4x100m relay at the previous Games held in the Cayman Islands in 2019.

“This week I’ll be heading off to Carifta, which is pretty exciting,” Morris said.

“I didn’t quite qualify for the 200m as the qualifying time for under-20 is 24.68. I am only 17 so I still have some years left in this category.

“But I will be participating in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. I’m just excited to represent my country in any way possible.”

Morris met the Carifta qualifying standard in the 200m and 400m last year.

However, the Games, which Bermuda was scheduled to host, were cancelled for the second straight year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic

The Carifta Games will take place April 16-18 at the National Stadium in Kingston.