With fewer than 100 metres and three flights of hurdles to go in what was one of, if not the most important, 400m hurdles race of her life, Andrenette Knight fell.

Despite going down awkwardly face first, Knight quickly sat up in lane three and stared down the National Stadium track at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Senior Championships, almost as if a brief moment of belief was there to pick herself up and continue running.

But having led the field at a blistering pace for a little over 300 metres, coupled with the fact that rivals Shian Salmon, eventual winner Janieve Russell and Rushell Clayton had hit top stride, Knight accepted that fate would not have her make Jamaica’s team to the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on this occasion.

All that was left for her to do was soak up the applause of the hundreds of spectators who tried to lift her spirits as she took the cycle track back to the changing area at the finish line.

“It’s very unfortunate; I came out here with an objective and it didn’t materialise, but it’s just a part of the sport and the (hurdles) event and so I just have to take it for what it is,” Knight said as she managed to flash a smile shortly after her mishap.

“I am disappointed, but it’s not the end of the world, I still have a season ahead of me, so I just have to take this for what it is, learn from it and just move on,” the former Vere Technical and St Jago High standout added.

To say that Knight fell just short of what would have been a massive accomplishment is a grave understatement, as she admitted that she was once at her wits end and ready to give up on the sport.

At that point, she was also down, and maybe a little depressed, but certainly not out. Her mother, college coach and friends knew it and it was their consistent support and encouragement that literally convinced her to get back on track.

“I just wasn’t enjoying the sport anymore and so I told myself I was going to pack it up after I graduated.

“I knew I wasn’t going to have the financial support I needed to continue running and that was mainly why I considered calling time on my career. But at the same time, a part of me wanted to continue because I genuinely love running and competing,” Knight, who graduated University of Virginia last year with a Masters degree in Educational Psychology, declared.

She continued: “So I went as far as applying to more graduate programs in social work and applied for grants and actually got accepted to North Carolina A&T. My mother Annika, my college coach Michelle freeman, and my longest friend Candice McLeod were always encouraging me to just give it a try.

“I spoke to coach [Lawrence ‘Boogie’] Johnson and decided to give myself a chance because maybe it’s God himself speaking to me. I knew I would have the likes of Dalilah Muhammad as a training partner so that motivated me a lot to go for it cause I knew I could only get better having someone like her as a training partner.”

And that it did, as her comeback with Hurdle Mechanic Track Club based in Los Angeles, California, has been nothing short of impressive.

Knight, entered the National Championships final on Friday in superb form having not placed father than fourth in her last seven races this year dating back to April.

It was during one of those races in Nashville, Tennessee on June 5, that she achieved her lifetime best of 53.39 seconds behind world record holder Sydney McLaughlin, who produced a breathtaking 51.61s-clocking, which is the third-fastest time in history.

For Knight, 25, the new time which shattered her previous best of 54.39s, propelled her from tenth to fifth on the all-time Jamaica performance list.

Only Melaine Walker (52.42s), Kaliese Spencer (52.79s), Deon Hemmings (52.82s) and, Russell — with a best of 53.08s set last year — have gone faster.

Still, Knight held the distinction of being the first Jamaican to break the 54-second barrier this year and was only behind McLaughlin on the World Athletics performance list, at one point.

So when she cruised to 54.55s in second behind Salmon on Thursday’s semi-final, there was no doubt that she had lots left in the tank.

And she demonstrated just that in the final.

She exploded from the blocks in lane three and opened up leaving Russell, the fourth-place finisher at the delayed 2020 Omympics, Clayton, the 2019 World Championships bronze medallist and Salmon, a 2019 semi-finalist, seeming well on her way to secure one of the top three spots, if not the top spot, when disaster struck.

Russell went on to win in 53.63s, ahead of Salmon who clocked a new personal best 53.82s, with Clayton (54.20s) third.

While it is now a lost cause, Knight felt there would have been no catching her had things went accordingly.

“That was my objective coming out here and unfortunately things didn’t go how I wanted it to. I was just running home for the win and unfortunately I clipped the hurdle but again that’s how it is in the event and its unfortunate.

“I know coming here I was well prepared the plan was never to leave disappointed but it happens I know that I was really ready and in the right shape to do the rounds and so in the final I was just looking forward to running a better race than I did in the prelims and I know I was ready for it but things happen,” she noted.

Knight’s positivity comes from the fact that she wears her faith on her bib, as well as the old adage that every experience in life serves a purpose.

Having reflected on where she was and where she is now, Knight, believes the lesson is for her to push harder, remain persistent, consistent and focused as one failure is only the first step to succeeding.

“I have to just put it behind me right now as it happened. I probably will meditate on it for a little bit but really not to dwell on it because its not the end of the season, one race or one bad results doesn’t define my whole career. The season is still long, I still have meets coming up and so I’ll talk to my coach and see what’s next,” Knight said with an air of confidence.

“The journey to get here was not easy, but I found myself so focused on what I was doing that the difficulty of it didn’t phase me. I will continue on this path because I believe it is where I’m meant to be.

“Everything that happens, God allows for a reason so I will continue to work and be graceful through adversity because my time is coming,” she ended.