IF you can run and jump 10 barriers while competing in the 400m hurdles in 52.42 seconds, can you imagine how fast that person can go if he'she runs the flat 400m without any obstacles?

The general thought is that person would do extremely well, but track and field isn't that straightforward.

Olympic 400m hurdles champion Melaine Walker decimated a world-class field at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in 52.64secs and a year later, miraculously went faster, adding the Berlin World Championship in 52.42, the second fastest time ever over the distance.

The world record of 52.34 (SET IN 2003) is held by Russian Yuliya Pechonkina.

Quizzed by the Observer if she would consider running the flat 400, Walker smiled, bit her lips and replied:

"I'm not sure. I'm not a lover of the flat 400, neither the 400 hurdles, but it's working for me and I'm grateful for the 400m hurdles, but I don't think I'll be a great 400 flat runner", she asserted.

The 400 hurdles race is one of the most demanding of all events in the sprint-hurdle group. It requires speed, endurance, and hurdling technique, all along with unique awareness and special concentration throughout the race.

Being one of, if not the best, in that gruelling event, Walker would find the flat event much easier.

"Over the years I have run 4x400s and run really great, but that's when I was a sprinter. Now it is different, I haven't run it in a while, so I don't know what my potential is.

"But I'm thinking about doing a couple this year and see what it looks like, then I will know if I'm able to run 4x400 or not," said Walker.

With Jamaica's 1600m relay team constantly falling short in getting the better of the powerful United States team and sometimes the Russians, some pundits believe that her inclusion in the relay squad would bolster Jamaica's chances of winning that elusive gold medal.

"I'm always open to run a relay leg, but it's for the people who made their spots and vow not to give it up and I'm not going to bear the burden of knowing that someone wanted to compete and I actually didn't run a flat 400 and given a spot, then I'm been envied for that spot.

"I always said if there is a spot I can take, please have that person who want me to take their spot tell me that it's OK, then I will run," she said.

As for defending her Olympic title in London, Walker, who turned 29 on January 1, said everything is going according to plan so far.

"I can say all things going well so far and I'm very pleased. I'm not having too much problems and I'm dealing with it and...training well," said the former St Jago star who in 1999 was second in the 200 metres at the World Youth Championship in Poland.

Walker was also second running on the 4x400m relay at the World Junior Championships in Chile in 2000.

Walker, who is expected to receive stiff competition from American rival Lashinda Demus and compatriot Kaliese Spencer at the Olympics, is not predicting how fast she hopes to go this year.

"Times are not really an issue for me; I don't like to predict times. It's just going out there and doing exactly what you can do and let the clock speaks for itself," said Walker, who had an injury-plagues season last year, yet clocked 52.73 for silver at the 2011 Daegu World Championship running out of lane eight.

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