Literally hamstrung for most of last season, national 400 metres runner, Ricardo Chambers, was happy just to be able to compete on Saturday night at the JN Jamaica Invitational at the National Stadium.

Chambers, who ran his personal best 44.54 seconds in Monaco in July 2010, spent most of last season looking on from the sidelines. So finishing fourth in his season opener on Saturday night behind teammate Jermaine Gonzales (third in 45.66), Trinidad and Tobago's Renny Quow (second, 45.48) and winner American Calvin Smith Jr (45.47) was not going to get him down.

In fact, he burst into song.

"Trelawny me born and grow, nuff separation mi boy a go thru, but me naw give up cause me multi-talented," he sang.

He then responded to his time of 45.71. It's nowhere near his best but he had an excuse.

Trying my best

"Well, as you know last year I had an injury and earlier this year I had another injury that prevented me from opening up already. The injury is still there but I am trying my best to overcome it and run."

Following a decent 2010 Chambers, who turns 28 in October, was forced to watch from the sidelines as his colleagues went on to represent Jamaica at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. The groin and hamstring injuries limited him to only two outings last year - the Jamaica Invitational and the Reebok Grand Prix in New York. In both races he finished dead last running 46 seconds plus each time.

Earlier this season, his injuries, a groin strain and a slight hamstring tear, conspired to force him to delay his season opener until Saturday night. The groin is now all right, he said, but there is still discomfort with the hamstring. Frequent visits to the doctor are now his only remedy as he races against time to prepare for bigger things coming up later this summer.

He competes next in the Cayman Islands tomorrow and then in New York in early June. By then he hopes he will back on the road to 44 seconds or faster.

"By then I'll be ready," he said. Chambers departs the island today for Grand Cayman.