PARIS, France — This summer’s Olympic Games will be national 400m champion Deandre Watkins’ first senior international competition. But he is seemingly undaunted by the task as he sets his sights on securing a spot in the final of his event.

Watkins, who has had an outstanding season so far, produced a massive lifetime best effort of 44.48 seconds to win his first national title in June. He erased his previous best time of 45.19, which he set in the first round of the competition.

Watkins, coached by Reynaldo Walcott at the Elite Performance Track Club, is the fastest Jamaican in the world this year.

The 21-year-old former Jamaica College standout, who has not competed since his victory at the National Championships, told the Jamaica Observer that he is looking to put on a good showing at the Olympic Games.

“My expectation is just to do better than I did at the national trials, so it is just to go out there and execute a good race and hopefully end up with a good time,” said Watkins. “Honestly, I am hoping to be in the final, and you know that anything can happen in the final, so I just want to be in the final.”

Watkins’ time ranks 18th in the world going into the Olympic Games. World Championships silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain is the fastest man globally this year with a time of 43.74.

The Jamaican noted that he is not putting himself under any pressure at the championships and is very relaxed and focused on the task ahead.

“I just want to go out and have fun and do my best. Being the national champion definitely comes with more responsibility because people will be looking at me to be in the final since I am the national champion, so it definitely comes with more expectations. The preparations have been going well, and I am fit and healthy,” Watkins said.

He, along with Sean Bailey and JeVaughn Powell, will be representing Jamaica in the men’s 400m at the Olympic Games. Watkins stated that he is very excited to be representing the country at the Olympic Games and is looking forward to a great experience at the event.

“I am feeling very excited, and things are looking okay so far. The village is okay, and I am very comfortable. I am looking forward to competing at my first Olympic Games and just doing my best whenever I step on the track,” Watkins said.