Russell just wants to improve

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

Russell, 28, has the World Championships, scheduled for the US city of Eugene, Oregon, in July as her top priority. 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 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 and continued, "That's true but really and truly, I just want to make the World Championship team. I haven't since 2015 so I just really want to make it and to ensure that I'm in the finals for Jamaica."

Russell tested her flat 400m speed at the Velocity Fest 11 on Saturday, 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 hard enough but I'm working on it so it can help my 400 hurdles."

The former headgirl at Holmwood Technical is confident about being up to speed when it counts.

"My gut feeling is that I'll be ready in time," she said on Saturday.

She tabled evidence in a comparison between her first two 400m hurdles races of 2021 and 2022.

"I did two 56 (seconds) 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.

She actually clocked 56.02, 55.45 and 57.16 in her first three 400m hurdle races of 2021. That platform launched her to victory at the 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.

Russell reckons improvement will bring its own reward.

"My personal goal is to be better than I was the year before and if that lays me on the podium, I'll be very grateful," she said. "It didn't last year, but I'm really glad that I ended the season with a personal best."