EUGENE, Oregon — Rushell Clayton just managed to make it back-to-back finals in the women’s 400m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on Wednesday afternoon, but that did not diminish her joy even a fraction.

After a surprise bronze medal in Doha in 2019, Clayton made the Jamaica team by placing third at the national championships after her preparation was hampered by injury setbacks, but said she is focused on a medal here today.

“There is always a medal on my mind, that’s the reason why I run, just to win, win medals. If I fall short today, I will go at it again tomorrow,” Clayton said.

Except for the 54.99 seconds she ran in the first round here, Clayton has run faster each time she has faced the starter this season and gives credit to her Coach Reynaldo Walcott who started to coach her this season.

“You would have to ask Coach Walcott,” she said when asked what had accounted for her success this year, “he is the one who has guided everything that I do, along with my prayers and hard work,” but added, “I think that I have gotten a lot faster as I still keep messing up parts of the race…running up in the hurdles, running too fast, and I have not yet adjusted to the stride pattern.”

Just getting to the final, she said, “was a long journey… [Tuesday] I was not in this mood as I did so many things wrong [in the first round]. Overnight I managed to fix some but not everything and I came out with a PB [personal best], and for that I am just grateful”.

She is very hopeful of springing another surprise today, she said, “I am looking forward to finals, going to get some needed rest and recovery and to go again.”

— Paul Reid