THREE-TIME world championship 200m metres gold medallist, American Allyson Felix, is optimistic the 22-year-old world record of 21.34 held by compatriot. Florrene Griffith-Joyner can be broken in the coming years.

“It has always been so far out of reach, but I try to just look at things as one year at a time and getting closer to that goal,” Felix told journalists during a 30-minute teleconference organised by track and field’s governing body, the IAAF, yesterday.

“Seeing the things that were done last year in the women’s 100, I know that I never expected such a quick progression towards that (record of 10.49), so it kind of gives me some hope that with the right competition and the right people in the races, as we keep pushing each other we will get closer,” she reasoned.

“So I do feel like that one (200m) can be attainable, it just make take a while,” Felix added.

Last year, American Carmelita Jeter clocked an impressive 10.64secs to become the second fastest female athlete in history behind Griffith-Joyner.

Reigning Olympic and world 100m gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser also lowered her personal best to 10.73, while compatriot Kerron Stewart lowered her career mark to 10.75secs.

Meanwhile, 24-year-old Felix, who is scheduled to compete in the 400 metres against world champion Sanya Richards-Ross at the Doha and London Diamond League meetings this season, hopes the longer event will help to lower her personal best of 21.81secs in the 200m.

“The 400 definitely makes your 200 a better race and I’ve always run the 400 to get strength at the end of my 200 metre race and that last 50 when you need that endurance, so I’m definitely hoping, like Tyson (Gay), that I’ll have improvements in 200 metres,” Felix added.

She has a personal best of 49.70secs in the 400m attained in 2007.

The Bob Kersey-coached athlete says she is also looking to resume her rivalry in the 200m with Jamaica’s two-time Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown as well as Stewart on the Diamond League circuit this season.

“I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Veronica and Kerron over 200 metres. I love racing them, I feel like those are some really special races and I think that we’ll see some fast times this year,” added the affable sprinter.

Campbell-Brown, who denied Felix the Olympic gold medals in the half-lap event in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, has a personal best of 21.74secs. Stewart’s career best time over 200m is 21.99.

The Diamond League organisers are yet to announce where Felix will run her first 200m of the season.