JAMAICAN sprint hurdler Lacena Golding-Clarke has called it quits after 11 years of professional track and field.

Golding-Clarke, who was a finalist in the 60m hurdles at the recent IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar, her sixth straight Indoor Championships final, made the decision about a week ago.

“I’m now ready to take on the next chapter in life. I have been a professional athlete for 11 years and it has been an amazing career,” Golding-Clarke told

the Observer.

The 35-year-old former Vere Technical, San Jacinto Junior College and Auburn University star who was fourth twice in the Indoor Championships — in 2003 in Birmingham, England, and 2008 in Valencia, Spain — says she is pleased with her career.

“I’m very pleased and happy about what I’ve done throughout my career; the journey has been great,” she said.

Golding-Clarke, who is married to former Jamaica quarter-miler Davian Clarke and won the 100m hurdles gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, said:

“Track and field has been a fun-filled job for me. I had great days and sometimes bad days, but all in all, it was awesome. Every day of my career was a blast and it’s only because I loved and enjoyed track and field,” she added.

Golding-Clarke, who has personal bests of 7.83 seconds and 12,68 seconds for the Indoors 60m hurdles and 100m hurdles, respectively, had a diverse career, winning two long jump titles at Girls Champs and winning at every level, including the CARIFTA Games and

Penn Relays.

She is a nine-time South Eastern Conference Champion at Auburn and runner-up four times at the NCAA level, while competing at three Olympic Games in 1996, 2000 and 2004. She also competed at the IAAF World Outdoors Championships on five occasions.