McFarlane chases history making WC appearance

KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC):

Danny McFarlane intends to create history at next year's World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

The 38-year-old Jamaican 400-metre hurdler hopes to break the record of Canadian distance runner, Tim Berrett, for the most appearances at track & field's marquee event. It will be his 10th, if he succeeds.

"It's something that I am going to eat, sleep and think about a lot," said McFarlane, who acknowledged he would face a tough challenge to qualify for the Jamaican team for the Championships.

"Honestly, going into Jamaica trials, it's not going to be as easy as it used to be," he said.

"I think right now we have four guys who are definitely going to turn up running 48 seconds, as they have proven before ... . We have a couple other guys running 49-low, so it's going to be a tough one."

Isa Phillips, the reigning national champion, Leford Green, the fastest Jamaican in the event this year, Olympics finalist Markino Buckley and outsider Adrian Findlay have all clocked sub-49 times in the 400 hurdles.

Josef Robertson and Roxroy Cato are two of the other athletes who have been on the fringe of a sub-49 clocking.

"So for me, that's my goal - to have my name among history, to say I defied the odds of not just my age, but the number of World Championships a man can attend and I think that will do a lot for my legacy in track & field," he said.

"I would feel really disappointed if I do not attend the Championships," he added.

Personal success

McFarlane has attended every World Championships since 1993. Though personal success in his pet event has eluded him, he has won five 4x400-metre relay medals.

"If I am fit, I am giving myself a shot (at a medal), no disrespect to the other guys because they are good competitors," said McFarlane, who believes he can improve on his personal best of 48 secs flat set six years ago.

"If I don't get it (medal) now, I don't think I am going to get it again," he said. "I am not limiting myself, but I have to be realistic," he said.

"So I am going to stay focused and try to go out there and try to get that individual medal because the only thing missing from my 'medal chest' is a medal from a major Championship right now."

'If I am fit I am giving myself a shot (at a medal), no disrespect to the other guys because they are good competitors.'