DETERMINED to fight for her place on Jamaica’s team to the Paris Olympic Games, relay medallist Shashalee Forbes says she is aiming to return to action as soon as possible as she continues to work her way back to the track after her recent injury setback.

Forbes, 27, suffered a minor left-hamstring injury during the heats of the women’s 100m event at the Miramar Invitational meet in Florida two weeks ago. She burst out of the blocks in the event before pulling up 20 metres into the race, clutching her left leg, before being assisted off the track by American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson.

Conditioned by veteran coach Maurice Wilson at Sprintech in Spanish Town, St Catherine, Forbes was looking to pick up from where she left off in 2023 when she registered a strong season, helping Jamaica secure a silver medal in the women’s 4x100m relay at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. She also ended the season with a new personal best of 10.96 seconds, which she ran in the final of the National Championships in July.

Looking ahead to this year’s National Trials in June, when she will compete in the 100m and 200m events, Forbes says she is eager to return to the track, and resolved that she is working hard to remain mentally positive despite the setback.

“It is an Olympic year so I am anxious to get back out there but, at the same time, I am taking it day by day,” said Forbes. “I won’t let this [injury] get me down because everything happens for a reason. And mentally, I just have to stay focused on my task ahead of me this season because I definitely plan to come back much stronger this year.”

Forbes achieved a significant breakthrough last year with her personal best run, which marked her first time running below the 11-second barrier. She also holds personal bests of 22.71 in the 200m and 7.03 in the 60m events.

She shared that rehabilitation work has been progressing according to plan, and added that she is optimistic about being fit in time for “Trials” in June.

“Right now I am rehabilitating and it has been going great, as I actually planned, because I have been doing my gym work and pool work so I am feeling very good at the moment,” she stated.

“Hopefully, I will be up and running for the National Trials because my goal is to make the Olympic team in either the 100 or 200 metres, as I will be competing in both events at the Trials, so I am just hoping for the best,” added Forbes.