Tracey Working On Technique

Ristananna Tracey, the 400-metre hurdles finalist, hasn't mastered her event's technique and she knows it. That's why she is devoting herself to refining her hurdles technique this season. Tracey, the former Edwin Allen Comprehensive High School star, thinks this will pave the way for her to improve.

Now in her second season at Maurice Wilson's Sprintec Club, Tracey is trying to build on a fine 2016 campaign. She won the 400-metre hurdles at the National Senior Championship and went on to establish a personal best of 54.15 seconds in the Olympic final to finish fifth.

Speaking in Montego Bay, last Saturday, the 24-year-old was candid about the area she needs to work on. "Most definitely, my technique is one of my major downfalls," she confessed, "and I'm working on getting a better technique and I think, with a better technique, I can shave down my time a bit."

She was nevertheless cautious about predicting a specific time she has targeted for 2017. Asked to specify whether or not those improvements will take her past her personal best into sub-54-second territory, she laughed coyly and replied, "Let's wait and see."

BREAKING 54 SECONDS

Only six Jamaican women - Melaine Walker, Kaliese Spencer, Deon Hemmings, Janieve Russell, Nickesha Wilson and Debbie-Ann Parris - have ever run the 400-metre hurdles faster than 54 seconds. The fastest three are Walker, Spencer and Hemmings at 52.42, 52.79 and 52.82 seconds, respectively.

"I'm just taking each race a step at a time", the 2010 World Junior Championship finalist explained, "and work with what the coach has in store and see where it takes me."

Tracey was on track at last Saturday's Western Relays in Montego Bay. With her Sprintec team-mate Gayon Evans racing in Europe, the 400metre hurdler made a cameo appearance as anchor on the club's runner-up 4x100 team. Her day ended with a 52.6-second anchor leg in the women's 4x400-metre relay.