Walker's prospects for gold medal soar

Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

WHEN Jamaica's Melaine Walker posted a world-leading and a personal best of 53.48 seconds to win the women's 400 metres hurdles at the Herculis Grand Prix Meet in Monaco, on Tuesday, she became the favourite to win this event at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Walker, who has won silver and bronze in this event at two World Junior Track and Field Champion-ships, will be aiming to give the country its second gold in this event at the Olympic Games, following that of Deon Hemmings at the Atlanta Games in 1996.

At last year's World Championships Walker failed to advance from the semi-final of her event, as the three medallists were Australian Jana Rawlinson, Russia's Yulia Pechenkina and Poland Anna Jesein.

From sidelines

However, the Australian and Russian will not be in Beijing as both are injured and will have to watch from the sidelines.

Walker's chances of winning gold became greater on Tuesday as it was announced that another of the Osaka medal contenders will miss the Olympics, as the host country's Huang Xiaoxia will have to wait another four more years if she is to achieve her goal, because she was not named in the Chinese squad due to an achilles tendon injury.

The former World Junior champion, who posted 54.50 seconds in May, was ranked seventh going into the Games, just behind Jamaica's Nickeisha Wilson, sixth in 54.45 seconds.

With the previous world leader, Lashanda Demus of the United States, also missing the Games after finishing fourth at the United States Trials, this event has now become wide open.

Despite carrying the favourites' tag, it will be no walkover for Walker, as the US pair of Tiffany Williams (53.54) and Sheena Tosta (53.58), who both finished behind Walker in Monaco, are the number two and three ranked athletes going into the Games, and they have shown great improvements, especially Tosta, who sliced a full second off her previous best.

Williams, who finished seventh in Osaka last year, will be determined to be at the front this time around, but Walker, based on her form this season, will definitely be the one to beat.