Tracey ready for big step forward

Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

Following an excellent high-school season where she has produced lifetime bests in three events - the 400 metres, 800 metres and the 400 metres hurdles - Edwin Allen High school's Ristananna Tracey will face the sternest test of her career when she runs in the women's 400 metres hurdles in this weekend's JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships.

Tracey, who has been a finalist at the World Youth and World Junior Championships in the 400 metres hurdles, will take a bold step when she competes with the nation's best in a bid to be on the team for the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, this summer.

With a season and personal best of 55.81 seconds set at April's GraceKennedy/ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships where she won the event by a city block, Tracey, 19, the fourth-ranked Jamaican in the event this year, will be hoping for an 'A' standard qualifying mark of 55.50 seconds to make the team and become the youngest Jamaican ever to qualify for this event at the World Championships.

Guaranteed spots

Jamaica is guaranteed four spots in the event in Daegu, as defending champion Walker has a bye, therefore leaving the way for Kaliese Spencer, with a season-best 53.45 seconds, Nickeisha Wilson (55.57), Andrea Sutherland (56.49), Shevon Stoddart (57.27) and Danielle Dowie (57.33), along with Tracey, to fight out the remaining three places. Only Spencer has attained the 'A' standard.

Tracey, who will be attending the University of Technology this September, has been taking orders from MVP's head coach Stephen Francis for the past two weeks and is very upbeat about the championships this weekend.

"I feel extremely motivated and I am confident that I will do well in my event as I am going out there to do my best to qualify with the 'A' standard," she said.

Things have changed for her at this level.

"Here (with the MVP athletes), it is much different than training with my peers at high school. There is no time to waste, as once we report to the track we just have to do what we have to do, as I do not have to wait on others before starting to warm up," she said.

Tracey is also excited to be working out with world beaters in her event like Walker and Spencer. "I am very excited and thrilled to be training with the world's two best 400 metres hurdlers, as they are my role models, and working out with them is a dream come true," she said.