McPherson ‘grateful’ after Doha performance

DOHA, Qatar:

She fell short of her main objective but Stephenie-Ann McPherson is still grateful to have made it to the final of the women’s 400 metres at her fourth IAAF World Championships.

McPherson, however, missed out on erasing her six-year-old personal best. The Manning’s School past student won a bronze medal at her debut World Championships back in 2013, but she has not been able to finish in a podium position since.

“It is my fourth World Championships and it is my fourth final. I am grateful to come back and get a chance again,” McPherson said.

It was also in 2013 that the 30-year-old registered her personal best 49.92, the mark she was desperately trying to remove at these championships. “I didn’t get the personal best that I wanted, but I am pleased to have been in another final,” she said.

McPherson finished sixth with 50.89 seconds in one of the fastest women’s 400m finals in the history of the meet. Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser ran an Asian record, 48.13, to beat hot favourite, Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo, 48.37, and McPherson’s compatriot Shericka Jackson, who won the bronze medal in a personal best, 49.47 seconds.

McPherson revealed that she missed parts of the season due to a nagging hip injury which she has been carrying for a couple of seasons.

“All I have to do is just try to stay healthy. I have to try to find a solution for the hip. One of my legs is longer than the other and I have to stay healthy so I can train a full season,” she said.

akino.ming @gleanerjm.com