Nickeisha Wilson (JAM) finishing fourth in Osaka (© Anthony Foster)
She did not win the gold, neither did she secure a medal, but high praises must go out to Jamaican 400m hurdler Nickeisha Wilson, who surprised many, including, herself to reach the Osaka World Championships final.
"My aim was to run a personal best and I did just that, so making it into the final was really a bonus, and I thank God, because those guys out there are really tough," said the Louisiana State University (LSU) third year student after the semi-finals.
The final completed, Wilson, who placed fourth in 54.10 became one of the youngest 400m Hurdles finalists. At 21, she remains, however, the second youngest to finish in the top four at the Championships – Jana Rawlinson was 20 when she took her first title in 2003 - and this, according to her, was a great achievement.
Busy season, rapid improvement
She was the third place finisher at the Jamaican National Championships, behind Melaine Walker, who was tipped for a medal and World Junior champion Kaliese Spencer, but her silver medal performance while participating at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro in July, helped her to spring that major surprise here in Osaka.
"I think my performance was great...it's my first World Championships and I am just 21-year-old, so I have many more (World Championships) to come, although I am a little bit disappointed that I did not get a medal, but....I am satisfied with where I placed, and the time as well.”
Earlier in the semi-finals, Wilson, who attended Convent of Mercy High School - Alpha in Kingston, Jamaica, ran what she described as the race of her life to become the fourth Jamaican behind Deon Hemmings-McCatty (52.82), Sandra Farmer-Patrick (52.79), running for the USA, and Debbie Ann Parris-Thymes (53.88) to break 54 seconds - 53.97.
"In the semi-finals, I executed the greatest race I have ever run in 400m hurdles," and according to her, the approach was far better than that of the final.
'Definitely' World record by Berlin 2009
Now, despite the fact that she just moved into the top 40 on the all time list with her personal best 53.97, Wilson, who spent one year at Oklahoma Baptist University before going on to LSU, has her eyes on the top spot.
"My aim is to go for the World Record, and I think I can do that, maybe not next Olympics, but, I will next World Championships, definitely," promised the Jamaican with a big heart.
Winner of the 400m Hurdles at the Pan American Junior Championships in Windsor, Canada - 2005, Wilson, a reasonably good sprint hurdler with a personal best of 12.90, has enjoyed a great season.
At the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Wilson was beaten into second place by Nicole Leach, who had a personal best 54.32. Wilson was timed in 55.68.
She, however, returned to team-up with Brooklyn Morris, Cynethia Rooks, and Deonna Lawrence to take her LSU to the 4x400m Relay title in 3:28.07 seconds.
The niece of one of Jamaica's coaches at the World Championships, Maurice Wilson, started 2006 with her then personal best 56.77 seconds, but according to her, rose with good training facilities and the help of Debbie-Ann Paris-Thymes, herself, a former Jamaican 400m hurdler, with a fourth place at the Atlanta Olympics, her most prestigious credentials.
"I think it's a very great season and I did not know I would have been this strong up until now, so I am satisfied with myself," added the second place finisher at the NCAA while making reference to a very long season, in which she ran 15 400m Hurdles races, 13 100m Hurdles contests and four flat 400m races.
Indoors, she had ran 14 60m and five 4x400m races outdoor.
"I trained hard since last September (2006) and I am really glad that this is the result," she added while singling out Parris-Thymes as her biggest motivator.
"She has competed well for Jamaica," she said. "My aim is to break her records, and to do as well as she did and even better, so she is really a great motivator"
Parris-Thymes' personal best is 53.88, but the Jamaican record of 52.82 was set in 1996 by Olympic Games gold medallist Deon Hemmings-McCatty.
LSU's assistant coach, Mark Elliott, who accompanied Wilson to Osaka, described the athlete's achievement as unbelievable.
"That is almost unbelievable, really, for someone that young and improved that dramatically, you very rarely see it, but like with most athletes you find in Jamaica, it's not surprising, but when it does happen, it's still unbelievable, in a way," he said.
Anthony Foster for the IAAF
