TOKYO, Japan — Two-time national champion Roshawn Clarke says he is hoping to put the experience gained on the various global platforms where he has competed to good use here as he looks to continue his rise in the 400m hurdles event.

Still only 21 years old, Clarke, a World Under-20 bronze medal winner and a finalist at his World Athletics Championships debut in 2023 (Budapest), has already experienced the highs and lows of international competition during his young career.

He, however, understands that each experience has provided an opportunity to grow and is eager to again deliver something special on the big stage.

“With experience I think it helps a lot because coming in as a junior, you’re running blind, without any real expectation of yourself or anything. But now with experience, you know what to do, which steps to take, and so on. So maturing and now being a senior athlete comes with a lot of work but I am taking it step by step,” Clarke told the Jamaica Observer.

In his first World Championships appearance, Clarke made it to the final of the 400m hurdles, finishing fourth in 48.07 seconds.

During the semi-finals, he produced a truly special run, stopping the clock at 47.34 seconds, the national record and World Under-20 record in the event.

A year later he was again leading Jamaica’s charge in the event but things did not go to plan in the final. After a powerful opening 200m, which saw him among the leaders of the race, Clarke clipped hurdle nine, losing his rhythm, before getting even greater purchase on hurdle 10, which threw him off balance and sent him crashing to the Mondo turf.

This year, Clarke is returned to his best and having gone 48.02 at the National Championships, he seems set to get back into the 47 seconds neighbourhood by the time his Tokyo assignment is complete.

He credits his form to the work done by himself and his coach Okeile Stewart, both in Jamaica and at the pre-championships camp in Tottori.

“My preparation was very good, we had the camp in Totorri as you know, and we were able to put in some really good training; me and my coach,” said Clarke.

“The overall feeling in the camp is very good; as usual at a championship the focus is to go out there and do your best so this is nothing different.”

It’s fair to presume that the youngster’s first goal is to return to the final and push for a medal, but you won’t hear it from him just yet.

“Normally, I don’t put times or expectations out there but I do have expectations for this championship,” said Clarke. “I will just go out there and everyone will see what is coming.”

The heats for the men’s 400m hurdles are to get underway at 7:35 pm on Monday (5:35 am Jamaica time).

— Andre Lowe