PHILADELPHIA, USA — Leford Green has a big decision to make and if he continues to improve the way he has in the 400m hurdles, the decision might be made for him.

In four competitions in the 400m hurdles this season, the former Bridgeport and Kingston College athlete has systematically lowered his personal best to 50.29 seconds which he achieved while placing second at the 116th Penn Relays in Philadelphia last Friday.

‘Blacks’, as he is nicknamed, is a second-year student at Johnson C Smith University — an NCAA Division 2 institution in North Carolina — and could make the switch from the 200-400 double to the arduous one-lap 10-barrier race.

The 6′ 3″ 195-pound Green opened the season with a 50.6secs clocking, then improved to 50.5 and 50.47 at the Raleigh Relays on March 26-27 at the Paul Derr Track and Field Stadium on the campus of North Carolina State University; before making the biggest jump in Philadelphia last week.

In an interview with the Observer at the Penn Relays, he was asked whether he was making ‘a Danny McFarlane move’, following in the steps of the Olympic silver medallist who switched from the flat 400 to the hurdles.

“No, this is not a Danny McFarlane move, this is a Leford Green move,” Green quipped.

He explained that along with coach Lennox Graham, “We are trying to use the talent and exploit it to the fullest. I know I have the talent and it is up to me to take it as far as I can.”

Green, who leads all Division 2 400m hurdlers, said the decision to switch was not one taken just this year, but something they had been working on as far back as three years ago when he ran for KC under the guidance of Graham.

“My coach and I were talking and we were thinking that come 2011 and 2012 for the IAAF World Championships (in Korea) and Olympic Games (in London)… we… wanted to get the 400m down as close to 45 seconds as possible first.”

Green said Graham, who is an astute hurdles coach, “has been teaching me the proper techniques. I love the event as well, so we thought it was a great match”.

He said the transition process has seen him hurdling more this year, but he has not completely ignored the 200 and 400m events, having run 45.88 seconds to open the outdoor season.

The Commonwealth Games — the only major national team competition this season — is not an option for him as it clashes with school, “so I can’t focus on that”, he said.

Come June at the National Trials he says he might be in the 400m hurdles race, even as an experiment.

“Knowing coach, we will look at what happened during the season and we might opt for the 400m hurdles just to feel out things at that level, but come next year for the IAAF World Championships, who knows?” he said.