CARRIE Russell says her gold medal run in the women’s 100m at the recent World University Games in Shenzhen, China, was possibly the best race of her spotted career.

The former Morant Bay High student who currently sits classes at the higher level at the University of Technology (UTech), told the Observer it was a great feeling to be winning for a change.

“I must say that was one of my best races this season, and at that championship that’s the only time I considered myself racing because all the time I was chasing people,” she said.

Russell, a promising sprinter from school through to the national level, has been beaten into consolation spots most of her sprinting life at major meets and was delighted with her personal best of 11.05 seconds to take the world collegiate title.

“It’s also special for me because on that occasion I was running my own race… I am comfortable because also I ran a personal best,” said the 21-year-old, who hails from Seaforth, St Thomas.

With that outstanding run a fillip as she looks ahead, Russell — a 100m bronze medallist at the 2006 World Juniors Championships — has her sights set high.

“I am just looking forward to the Olympic Games and just asking God for His guidance and protection as I go,” she said last week shortly after she and her teammates returned to the island.

At the meet, which had over 11,000 athletes from 180-odd countries participating, Jamaica, with 12 athletes, won an amazing nine medals — six gold, two silver and a bronze.

They finished second on the athletics medal table, only behind Russia, who had more than 100 track and field athletes.

Also winning gold medals were Hansle Parchment in the 110m hurdles in a personal best 13.24 seconds; Jacques Harvey in the men’s 100m in 10.14; Rasheed Dwyer in the 200m in 20.20;Anneisha McLauglin the women’s version in 22.54, and Odayne Richards in the men’s shot put in another personal best 19.93 metres.

Bagging silver were Peter Mathews in a best time of 45.62 in the 400m and Jason Young in the 200m.

The bronze was earned from the collective efforts of the women’s 4X100m team comprising Shermaine Williams, Russell, McLauglin and Anastacia LeRoy.

The men’s 4X100 team which promised a medal faltered when “Peter Mathews pulled up on the first leg”, and there was a consequent disqualification.

Team manager Rashid Hall said the performance of the team and the individual achievements were signs of good things to come for local collegiate athletics.

“We are very satisfied with the performances and I don’t think we could have asked for more with 12 athletes who gave us six gold, two silver and one bronze, therefore everyone performed well,” he said.

“It was a new experience for most of them (athletes) as they didn’t understand the impact of the event because inter-collegiate sports don’t get that much coverage locally… this was a University Olympics and this shows the quality of the competition,” Hall added.

Jamaica’s 200m silver medallist Jason Young (left), 400m runner-up Peter Mathews caught shortly after returning from the World University Games last week. Shot put gold medalist O’Dayne Richards is at rear.

Carrie Russell, Jamaica’s 100m champions at the World University Games, speaks to journalists shortly after her team’s return to the island recently.