JAMAICA’S 110-metre Olympic bronze medallist Hansle Parchment has the long-term ambition of gunning for American Aries Merritt’s world record of 12.80 seconds.

But the tall runner insists that more immediate on the agenda is the task of getting to the IAAF World Championships in Moscow in two months’ time.

The national senior trials got underway yesterday and the 23-year-old, who holds the Jamaican record in the sprint hurdles event at 13.05 seconds, refused to predict how fast he could go when he takes to the track tomorrow. Instead he declared he is “just aiming to qualify” for the Games in the Russian capital.

“The world record is far away from where I am now, but the sky is the limit and we try to aim as high as possible and do our best in getting there.

“I’m just aiming to qualify… I don’t want to say times (for the trials). I’m just going out there to give of my best as usual, try to cement my place on the team and make sure that I’m in the competition for World Championships and represent Jamaica… and my sponsors Grace and Puma,” the University of the West Indies student said after he signed a partnership with Grace Foods a week ago.

The powerful Parchment, though showing good hurdling technique, has suffered from sluggish starts since he rose to national prominence, but the fast-finishing athlete is targeting that obvious chink in his armour.

He candidly suggested that the improved times this year are not necessarily indicators of a better race execution.

“I’m working on all my weak areas, so definitely the start is a part of the weak areas. The technical areas are important of course… hurdling is a technical event so the better your technique can become, then the more time you can shave off (and) the faster you can run.

“Even though I’m running faster, maybe it is because I’m a little big stronger this year,” he explained.

At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Parchment created history by winning Jamaica’s first Olympic medal in a 110-metre hurdles race when he clocked a then national record 13.12 seconds in finishing third behind Merritt and another American, Jason Richardson.

These feats, he believes, have provided the ideal motivation for him to further improve his personal best during the season.

“That (lowering the Jamaican record) is a great motivator. Having that in my head will definitely assist me in my preparation (and) help me to push further with hopes that I can lower the time.

“The season is progressing good so far and I’m looking forward to better things as it progresses. I’m preparing and putting all my effort in,” said the former Morant Bay High and Kingston College student.