400m hurdler Russell just wants to improve

Janieve Russell just wants to improve, and if that process puts her on the podium at this year’s World Athletics Championships, then she would be a happy 400 metres hurdler. Russell also wants to defend her Commonwealth Games title in August if that fits into the plans her coach has for her.

The 28 year-old has the World Championships, scheduled for the United States city of Eugene, Oregon, in July as her number one target. Asked about a possible defence of the Commonwealth title she won in 2018, she replied: “I’m not sure. It depends on the coach,but I hope it is.”

A win in Birmingham, the English city hosting the Commonwealth Games this year, would give Jamaica a third straight hold on the title as Kaliese Spencer won in 2014, with Russell third.

World Under-20 champion in 2012, the MVP Track Club star knows that the Commonwealth Games gold added to her resume. “That’s true, but really and truly, I just want to make the World Championships team. I haven’t since 2015, so I just really want to make it and to ensure that I’m in the final for Jamaica,” the 2016 and 2021 Olympic finalist said.

On April 23, Russell tested her flat 400 metres speed at the Velocity Fest placing second to Candice McLeod, in 51.96 seconds. “I feel pretty good,” she said afterwards. “The aim today was to just to get out hard. I didn’t think I got out hard enough, but I’m working on it so it can help my 400 hurdles,” the 28 year-old Russell said.

The former headgirl at Holmwood Technical High is confident of being up to speed when it counts. “My gut feeling is that I’ll be ready in time,” she asserted at the Fest. She tabled evidence in a comparison between her first two 400 metres hurdles races of 2021 and 2022. “I did two 56 back to back, compared to last year, I did a 56 and a 57, almost 58, so it’s not bad, and I did that in May. So I think I’m on track, and I’m just going to continue working,” she said.

In fact, she clocked 56.02, 55.45 and 57.16 in her first three 400 metres hurdles races of 2021. That platform launched her to victory at the Jamaican National Championships in 54.07 seconds and a lifetime best of 53.08 for fourth at the Olympics, behind the American duo of Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad and Dutchwoman Femke Bol.

So far in 2022, she has run 56.40 and 56.56 seconds, respectively.

Russell reckons improvement will bring its own reward. “For me, my personal goal is to be better than I was the year before, and if that puts me on the podium, I’ll be very grateful. It didn’t last year,” she recalled, “but I’m really glad that I ended the season with a personal best.”