Chrisann Gordon seeks redemption

MIRAMAR, Florida:

AFTER failing to deliver at the Carifta Games and the IAAF World Youth Championships (WYC), Holmwood Technical's Chrisann Gordon will be hoping for redemption when she competes in the 400 metres at this weekend's Junior Pan Am Championships in Miramar, Florida.

Undoubtedly, one of the brightest local female prospects in the island, Gordon is yet to deliver beyond the Boys and Girls' Champion-ships stage, despite her great potential. After posting a career best of 51.62 seconds to win the Class 11 event at Champs, she was big favourite to win at Carifta and the WYC, but could only manage second at Carifta, while at the WYC she was out of the medals.

Disagreement

On both occasions, she was beaten by Vere Technical's Olivia James, who will not be competing in Florida this weekend. Also not competing will be World Youth champion Shaunae Miller, who has not been selected by The Bahamas Federation following disagreement between her father, who is her coach, and the federation; as he wanted her to only compete in the 4x400 metres relay.

Despite the absence of the two named above it will still not be an easy task for Gordon, as the United States' Diamond Dixon is also a live contender for the gold medal. Dixon, who is the top-ranked athlete in the event, with a personal best of 51.55 seconds done in May, is a very consistent sub 52 seconds athlete and has been in form this season, as she was a third-place finisher at the NCAA Division One Outdoor Championships for her team, the University of Kansas, where she clocked 51.88 seconds.

Gordon is, however, oozing confidence going into the championships, and is determined to go all the way this time. "I made a big mistake at World Youth and I am hoping to correct it this time around and bounce back big time by going all the way," said Gordon, before stating that she is not in the same shape as she was at Boys and Girls' Championship .

"At Champs, I was at 100 per cent and now I am about 90 per cent, but this will not stop me from doing well, because this is my first Pan Am Junior Meet and I want to do well there," she continued.

She stated that she was not prepared for her final at World Youth." I felt good in the heat and the semi-final, but somehow in the final I was not feeling myself; and I knew that something was wrong, as I even started my warm-up late and I was not fully ready," she said.

Many thought that Gordon's running style had contributed to her showing in the WYC final, because she appeared to be running too fast, too early. She feels otherwise, and will not change her style for Pan Am.

"I do not think I have been running too fast in earlier rounds before the final, because this is my style and I have been prepared to run like this, and I will be doing the same thing over and over, as this has nothing to do with how I perform in the final. I am not doubting myself at Pan Am and, despite the great competition, I am determined to end my season on a high and to forget my disappointment at World Youth," Gordon pointed out.