Stoddart

Two-time Jamaican Olympian Shevon Stoddart will look to run under 55 seconds in the 400m hurdles event at the 10th staging of the Jamaica International Invitational (JII) and IAAF World Challenge meet inside the National Stadium tomorrow night.

Stoddart, a bronze medallist at the 2005 Central American and Caribbean Championship, believes that she is in good shape and will give a good performance at the JII meet.

"I got hurt after the 2008 Olympic Games and have since changed coaches. I had to work my way back. So far, I have one of the top ten times in the 400m hurdles this year, coming into the meet," the petite Stoddart told STAR Sports, on arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday morning.

"I am healthy and feeling good. I expect to run a season best, preferably under 55 seconds. I ran 56.01 at a meet in The Bahamas recently. I am coming here to better that time," she said.

The 31-year-old hurdler also competed at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and the 2005 World Championships but failed to reach any of the finals. Her personal best is 54.47 seconds achieved in June 2005 in Sacramento, US. She attended the University of South Carolina on a track scholarship.

Meanwhile, the JII meet will be without 100m and 200m world record holder Usain Bolt and 2009 World Championships 100m champion Yohan Blake. Both Racers Track Club athletes have withdrawn due to injuries.

The 19-event one-day meet is set to start at 6:05 p.m. with the final event scheduled to run at 9:25 p.m.