WITH the women’s 100m hurdles event expected to be one of the most competitive races at this year’s National Championship, Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper is not resting on her laurels as she has been working tirelessly on her technique while she looks to secure a spot on Jamaica’s World Athletics Championships team this year.

Only the top three finishers in their respective events are guaranteed spots on the team, providing they achieve the qualifying standards.

The National Championships will be held from July 6-9 at the National Stadium while the World Championships will be held in Budapest, Hungary, August 19-29.

Tapper, who is conditioned by Reynaldo Wallcott at the Elite Performance Track Club, said her main focus is to run a lot faster this year — but in order for her to achieve this she will have to improve on her technical deficiencies in the obstacle event.

“I am focusing on my technique, and I am focusing on getting faster on the flat and utilising the time that I have as best as possible,” Tapper told the Jamaica Observer.

“I know that I have buckled down really hard because the 100-metre hurdles is one of the most competitive races at the World Championships this year, as well as our Trials [National Senior Championships] this year,” she added.

“Megan on paper is not one that you would say, ‘Megan is going to be in the top three easily,’ but (as usual) I am going to give it my all and, God’s willing, everything is going to work out,” Tapper said.

The 29-year-old, who has personal best 12.51 seconds, currently has a season’s best 12.74 which she achieved at the New Life invitational meet in The Bahamas on Saturday.

However, she was beaten by her training partner Kerrica Hill in the event at the last Velocity Fest meet which was held at the National Stadium. The diminutive athlete stressed that she is very pleased with the times that she has run so far this year but there is still room for improvement.

“I am the fittest that I have ever been at this time of the year and so I am going to try and stay healthy as best as I can because that is the most important thing for me right now,” Tapper said.

“I feel that it sets me up very well going forward. It is my best time at this time of the year ever and so I am really grateful and I feel like it is a great step towards the right direction,” she noted.

Tapper said training with Hill is helping her to stay sharp.

“Kerrica is a force to be reckoned with and it is a joy to be training with her — and I have to come to training every morning ready,” Tapper pointed out.

Elite Performance is also the club of Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, as well as 2019 World Championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist Rushell Clayton.