NATIONAL senior women’s sprinter Shashalee Forbes is scheduled for an ultrasound today to assess the extent of the injury she sustained at the Miramar Invitational meet in Florida on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Forbes, who is coming off an excellent 2023 season, stopped in the heats of the women’s 100m event in tears, clutching her left hamstring.

Dr Paul Auden, who has been working with Forbes since her high school days at Holmwood Technical, is expressing optimism given that she has been able to walk freely despite the injury.

“She experienced pain in her left hamstring and stopped during the race. She will undergo an ultrasound evaluation to determine the extent of the injury,” said Auden.

“The ultrasound will reveal the severity of the injury but the positive news is that there is no swelling, and she is walking without difficulty. We are hopeful it’s a mild strain or perhaps just a cramp. At this level athletes don’t continue when they feel something grab them.”

Auden emphasised his familiarity with Forbes, having known her since she was a teenager. He described her as a resilient individual who is not likely to be deterred by the injury disappointment.

“I’ve worked with her since she was 14 at Holmwood. She’s highly competitive, dedicated to improvement, and doesn’t give up easily,” Auden affirmed. “Her progress has been promising as she transitioned from high school. While she wasn’t the island’s top sprinter due to stiff competition, she consistently excelled. I’m confident she’ll bounce back from this setback soon,” he said.

Forbes made a significant breakthrough last year, achieving a personal best 10.96 seconds, marking her time running below the 11-second barrier. She holds personal bests of 22.71 in the 200m and 7.03 in the 60m events.