EUGENE, Oregon — National record holder Lamara Distin had one bad day all season when she placed second in the women’s high jump final on the first day of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) at the National Stadium in Kingston recently.

The Texas A&M student, who had won the event last year, came into the championships on the back of winning the NCAA Outdoor championships but only managed to clear 1.85m and thought she had lost her place on the team to the World Championships.

That is now behind the former Rusea’s High, Vere Technical and Hydel High jumper as she returned to her Texas base to continue her preparation and said she was ready to resume her upward climb.

On Saturday, Distin — who has a personal best 1.97m, fourth best in the world — says she is ready to go.

“I am so excited to do something great,” she told the Jamaica Observer after a training session at Lane Community College in Eugene on Wednesday.

The NACAC Under-23 champion said she plans to take things one step at a time. “Making the final is the first step in the process, I am feeling great, if all goes well, expect something great.”

After winning the NCAA outdoors title at Hayward Field and the expectation of sold out crowds, Distin was looking forward to going back to the venue and said as far as the expected large turnout, “that won’t bother me, I am used to that from Champs”.

— Paul Reid