Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Racers Track Club president and head coach Glen Mills is hoping to see improved results from his batch of female athletes starting with Olympic 4x400m relay bronze medallist Rosemarie Whyte and World Championships 400m hurdles representative Ristananna Tracey.

"We want to improve the women programme," Mills told Star Sports.

Mills is hoping that his female charges will add to his crop of world stars, sooner rather than later.

Whyte, who returned to close to her best this past season, after working with Mills for her Olympic preparation in the 400m, has had her fair share of injury issues in the past, mainly a career-threatening hamstring injury that healed with a scar.

The two-time Olympic finalist has, however, seen her fortunes head in the right direction in recent times, running 49.84 and 50.08 in the last two seasons. Only her 2008 mark of 50.05 comes close to these marks and Mills believes the athlete is poised to have a very strong 2013 season.

"Rosemarie, we think that she is beginning to be more consistent and could have a great season next year leading up to the World Championships," Mills said, before turning his attention to Tracey, who broke her wrist in the build-up to the World Championships in Deagu last year.

Unimpressive finishes

The former Edwin Allen stand-out made the switch from neighbouring MVP Track Club shortly after returning from Daegu and has had a rough time since, with unimpressive finishes on the circuit, while failing to dip below 55 seconds.

Mills explained that Tracey has also had issues coming back from injury, but like Whyte, should have a greater impact next season with a full background schedule expected this time around.

"We had Ristananna (Tracey) for her first year and it didn't go how we wanted it to. She started out with a big handicap, which caused her to lose several months to allow her hand to heal," Mills said, adding that he expects the athlete to learn and improve from her rough orientation.

"After it (hand) healed, we realised that it didn't heal properly and only an operation could solve the problem, and so she had to do an operation, had the cast on her hand and was unable to run with that and for a young athlete coming out of school, it was a lot of stress for her, but we believe the next years will be far better and the experience will help her to refocus," said Mills.

The coach admitted that it has not been easy to find female recruits because of a lack of reference, but is hoping the tide will change with the likes of the ever-improving Schillonie Calvert, who earned a 4x100m relay silver medal at the Olympic Games and continues to near the sub-11 seconds club with an 11.05 personal-best run this year, and young Deandre Whitehorne, on the coach's radar.