The 2019 World Championships bronze medallist in the Women’s 400m hurdles Rushell Clayton had to dig deep and run the race of her life just to get a chance to return to the 2022 championships which will be held in Eugene, Oregon, in the United States next month.

The Championships have been delayed by a year, after the Olympic Games had to be rescheduled to 2021, which probably was a blessing in disguise for Clayton, who now gets another crack at the Championship and another chance for a podium finish, after an injury-ravaged season last year.

Clayton has run sparingly this season but came good at the right time to make her second World Championship team Friday night. After running 54.67s in the semi-finals, she produced 54.20s to finish third behind Janieve Russell (53.63s) and Shiann Salmon (53.82s) in the final.

Running out of lane eight, Clayton had to be her own pacemaker and the experienced athlete followed the instructions of her coach which landed her in third place and back on another Jamaican team.

“It was a whole lot of emotions because honestly, I was just running my race, because I was in lane eight. I can’t remember the last time I ran from lane eight, so I was literally running blind and I was just running my race and to see that I ended up in the third position…I have been through so much, I had to thank God,” said an emotional Clayton after the race.

She believes that making the team at the National Championships will prove to be harder than running in Oregon.

“I’m going all the way. I am going all the way. For me this was the hardest part of it, to get on the team, because I know I am running with ladies who have been running fast all season. So, to be here and get on the team, everything is just forward now,” she proclaimed.

And the 29-year-old is grateful to be able to represent the country yet again after a retched year with injuries last year, that is plaguing her even now.

“Coming from last season’s hamstring injury, I tore all three muscles in my hamstring and now I am still in recovery, because three tears don’t just heal in one season. So, I’m still doing rehab, I am still doing everything just to stay healthy,” she explained.

With her ticket punched to Eugene, Clayton is headed back to the training track to get ready for a crack at another World Championship medal.

“Back to training, back to training, back to training. Coach Walcott has plans and I just do exactly what he says I must do,” she said.

Clayton who switched camps to Elite Performance Track Club last year, has been enjoying her time there and promises to continue to run fast.

“It’s been great. I love it. I love it. I am a person who learns anywhere I go, and I adapt to environments, so I doesn’t matter who coaches me, I know I can run fast.”

There are 20 days to go to the start of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.