The women's 400m race at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava on 8 June 2004 is set to be a Caribbean affair. The first European IAAF Super Grand Prix Meeting of the year has already secured the participation of Lorraine Fenton (JAM) the second fastest 400m runner in the World in 2003.
A three-time silver medallist at IAAF World Championships (1999, 2001 and 2003), Fenton will aim at breaking the 11-year-old meeting record of 49.67 set by Czech Republic’s Tatiana Kocembova.
“I have never competed in the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava so I am looking forward to it. The Czech Republic has a good women's 400m reputation with two women under 49 seconds. I also remember Helena Fuchsova being one of my competitors a few years ago,“ Fenton said.
“I am satisfied with my training so far, I am very much aware that it is an Olympic year, however, I do not plan to make any major changes in my preparation just because it is the Olympics. As always, I will open with a 200m at the Drake Relays in a few weeks.“
Ostrava will mark Fenton’s European debut in 2004
Fenton’s main challenger in Ostrava will be 28-year-old Tonique Williams from the Bahamas. A bronze medallist at the recent World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Williams has an outdoor personal best of 50.24. The fifth place finisher at the Paris World Championships last year, Williams has the potential to break the 50-second barrier. Maybe in Ostrava?
24-year-old Christine Amertil (BAH) will complete the trio of Caribbean 400m runners in Ostrava.