Sport

Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sport

NEW YORK:

World and Olympic 400 metres silver medallist, Shericka Williams, was in a relaxed mood yesterday after finishing second in the women's one-lap event at the Adidas Grand Prix Diamond League in New York.

Her times in several meets this season are far below her best, but it is all part of the plan to last what will be a very long season.

Williams' personal best is 49.32 seconds from the Berlin World Championships last year, her season best, set on May 15 in Doha, is 51.11, while yesterday she clocked 51.24 for second behind Botswana's Amantle Monsho, who won in 50.79.

"Coach (Stephen) Francis does know how to prepare his athletes so I will just continue training and take it one day at a time. When he is ready to let us go fast, I think he will do it," said Williams, who will next run in this weekend's National Championships at the National Stadium.

According to Williams, part of the concentration now is to get the third 100 metres of her main event right.

"Coach Francis is trying to get my third 100m a little bit faster so that I can come off the curve either in the pack or close enough so that I can use my speed to catch them ... " she said.

The St Elizabeth native hinted that she could compete at the Commonwealth Games scheduled for October 3-12 in Delhi, India.

"We are thinking about the Commonwealth Games, that is why we are not pushing our preparation because the Games is so far, you have to keep your body intact for it.

For now, Williams just wants to go out there to "execute and stay injury-free" and run as fast as she can.

She also had some kind words for the hundreds of Jamaican New Yorkers who packed the stand at the Icahn Stadium in Randall's Island.

"I really felt good as you know the Jamaica crowd is always nice and full of energy and it has always been a pleasure for me to compete in front of them."