Former Spot Valley middle-distance runner, Tyrese Reid, who now attends the Barton Community College in the United States, is ready to do well at the Jamaica National Junior Championships later this week.

Reid was one of the juniors who participated in the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) All-Comers Meet held at National Stadium on Saturday, winning the 800m, for which he is known, as well as finishing fourth in the 400m.

Reid, who competed unattached, comfortably won section one of two of the men’s 800m in 1:50.93, which turned out to be the fastest time of the day, before returning to win section two of five in the 400m in 47.54s to finish fourth overall, as he used the opportunity to get in as many metres as possible ahead of the championships that will decide the team to the World Junior Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, in August.

Having not run for a month, Reid was happy to get back to competitive action after returning to train with his high school coach since his arrival on the island earlier this month.

“For me, it was a good result because it’s been a month now since I have not competed, so my old coach who used to coach me at Spot Valley, we’ve been working since I came down June 5th,” he said.

The win in the 800m came as no surprise to the Barton athlete who has been preparing astutely to make the Jamaican team.

“I wanted to put in some work coming into the trials, so I am not surprised with the result [win], because I know that what I have been doing over the past weeks has been really good.

“I’m in good shape. I have been doing a lot of speed work in training and endurance work, so I am really comfortable going into trials,” noted Reid.

The running of the 400m by Reid was a matter of speed work as he sharpens up after a long layoff.

“I am just testing out my speed, because my first 400m in the 800m, I didn’t run a good 400m in the first lap because it’s been so long since I have not run, so I was just testing myself to see where I’m at. I figured out that I was comfortable, I wasn’t feeling any discomfort, so I just kept on turning over along the way as I go in the race.”

The running of the 400m by Reid was a matter of speed work as he sharpens up after a long layoff. And as things stand, Reid thinks he is where he needs to be to book his spot on the Jamaica team on the weekend.

“I am feeling really good, my body is feeling good, everything is good.”

The National Junior Championships will be run in concurrence with the senior championships from Thursday June 24 to Saturday June 26.