WILKINS SHINES INDOORS

OLYMPIC mile-relay bronze medallist Bobby-Gaye Wilkins sounded her intentions for next month's 13th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar, by clocking the automatic qualifying mark in the 400 metres at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational yesterday at the University of Nebraska.

The World Indoor Championships is scheduled for March 12-14.

Wilkins, who was competing in only her first indoor meeting of the season and her career, produced a lifetime best 52.46 seconds to become the seventh fastest in the event this season.

The automatic qualifying standard for the women's 400m is 53.25 seconds.

"I never expected that time because it's my first time running indoors, but I'm proud of myself seeing that I was able to make the automatic qualifying mark for the World Indoor Championships," Wilkins told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

"So for the World Indoors, I just want to go Doha and do my best and hope I come out successful with a medal for Jamaica," added Wilkins, who had clocked 53.23secs in the heats on Friday.

The mark by the 21-year-old Wilkins, a former Holmwood Technical High standout who is represented by the Motion Sports Management group in Minnesota, USA, eclipsed the previous best by a Jamaican this season.

Veteran quarter-miler Novlene Williams-Mills, the 2007 World (outdoor) Championship bronze medallist and fourth-placed finisher in Berlin last summer, had produced of 52.83secs in Glasgow on January 30.

Clora Williams is currently the third fastest Jamaica female over the distance with 53.32secs.

According to the IAAF entry rules, "each member federation is entitled to enter up to three competitors in each event of the Championships, provided all have achieved the corresponding entry standard, but only two will be permitted to compete".

Wilkins is hoping to continue improving her time on the indoor circuit, as it was her first time on the banked (slanted) track.

"I don't think I used the track properly, but having attained the seventh fastest time in the world so far, I just hope to improve in the IAAF listing in my next competition," she said, noting that she is still disappointed after not getting the opportunity to run on Jamaica's mile-relay team at the Berlin World Championships last summer, despite being fit and race sharp.

"I want to make sure that from now on I'm able to qualify for the flat 400m and not only for the relay because there is no guarantee of your spot on the relay, so I want to focus on making the flat event," Wilkins told the Sunday Observer.

"Training is going really well (in Minnesota) and I feel comfortable with everything I do because I get motivation from agent, my coach and my teammates...

"That only makes me want do better and push more and make my family and fans in Jamaica, who're looking for me to do well, feel proud. That's my main focus right now," she said, indicating that she intends to compete at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, in October.

"I'm really looking forward to lowering my personal best of 50.87 this year and hopefully win a medal at the Commonwealth Games for Jamaica," Wilkins reiterated.

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