PARIS, FRANCE — It may not have been the result she was hoping for in the final of the 100m hurdles on Saturday at the Olympic Games, but given the hardship she endured over the past week, Ackera Nugent expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete.

Competing in her first Olympic Games, Nugent faced a challenging outing in the final, crashing into the first hurdle and losing her momentum before hitting the seventh barrier. She ultimately stopped and did not finish the race. The gold medal was won by Masai Russell, of the USA, in 12.33 seconds, with France’s Cyrene Samba-Mayela taking second in 12.34 seconds, and defending champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico finishing third in 12.36 seconds.

Nugent told the Jamaica Observer that she was gravely ill before the start of the competition and did not expect to be fit enough to compete.

“Last Thursday, to be honest, I was laying down in the village flat on my back and couldn’t move,” she said. “I felt like I was paralysed after a training session over the hurdles, and I was just like, ‘Lord, what is next?’

“I went to the doctor, and by Monday I was able to move around. It was just like the Lord brought me here today for a lesson and a reason, and sometimes you have to take the losses to come back again.”

The 22-year-old, who entered the championships as the second-fastest woman in the world this year, had high hopes of winning a medal for her country. Despite her failure to finish the event, she remains confident that her time will come as long as she continues to train hard and stay focused.

“To be honest, there is a lot to take away from this race, but at the same time, I am very grateful because, at the end of the day, I was able to show up,” she said. “If it was the Lord’s will, it would have happened. My time is not yet, and I have to give God the glory as he continues to work through me.

“I wouldn’t say it is a disappointment because I know the Lord knows what I am capable of, and he was just like my time is not yet. So I just have to be patient. I am very motivated going forward because a lion doesn’t stay down for too long. Sometimes you have to wait for the lion inside to recuperate for the next season.”