Ronda Whyte is yet to represent Jamaica at the Olympic Games, but her 2021 season is going according to plan as she looks to fulfil that dream.

After steadily bringing down her 400m time at the various development meets held in Kingston, the 30-year-old delivered a season’s best in her pet event, the 400m hurdles, at the American Track League Series in Los Angeles, last Saturday.

The 55.11s she ran was her second fastest time in the event since 2018 and improves her ranking to number three in the world. She has also now run the Olympic qualification standard, just a few weeks before the National Championships that will help in selecting Jamaica’s team to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

While admitting to race rust in the hurdles in particular, Whyte says that last week’s race wasn’t particularly challenging.

“The race last week wasn’t that challenging, but my technique was a little bit off. I think I need a few more hurdles races, to tie up some loose ends,” she said.

Seeing the fruits of her early season labour take shape has made it all the more rewarding for the Sprintec Track Club athlete.

“It’s a humble and warming feeling to know that the work I put into my training is actually paying off how it should,” she said.

Whyte also revealed that the early season 400m improvement has provided an important confidence boost to her.

“Running the 400m is helping to better my 400m hurdles. I am physically and mentally stronger now. It has boosted my confidence to attack and go over the hurdles.”

Whyte is planning to take it race by race as the season unfolds.

“I tend to focus on the present, so the main goal is to take it race by race, focus on what I need to do to better my times and most importantly, stay healthy,” she noted.

Whyte will next feature in the seldom run 200m hurdles, at the Adidas Boston Boost Games, which is a street race meet, on Sunday.

— Dwayne Richards