Kaliese Spencer

She is yet to win her first individual medal at a senior outdoor championships, but galvanised by podium success at this year's IAAF World Indoor Championships, Jamaican hurdler Kaliese Spencer is encouraged by the opportunities presented by the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

Spencer, a multiple winner of the 400m hurdles Diamond race, picked up the silver medal in 400m in Sopot, Poland, in March, ending a string of disappointing finishes and giving her a first taste of individual silverware.

With her space secured on Jamaica's powerful team to the Commonwealth Games, set for Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 - August 3, Spencer, who recently won another national title, without much fuss at the National Senior Championships at the National Stadium, is ready to go.

The in-form athlete has won all but one of her six 400m hurdles appearances this season and is the fastest so far this year with a time of 53.41.

number one priority

Still, she knows, for all the good she has done this year, winning in Glasgow is the number one priority.

"Yes, it's been a good season so far, what to expect? We will see, we just have to watch out. I have been training well so we will see where that takes me," said a cautious Spencer, during a recent interview withStar Sports.

The athlete noted that she has been paying keen attention to her technique, with help from retired Jamaican hurdling legend Brigitte Foster-Hylton, but admitted that gold in Glasgow is certainly on her mind.

"It's definitely on my mind, getting a first individual (outdoor) medal at the Commonwealth Games would be a good start and hopefully I can take it from there into next season and beyond as well," she added, before noting her improvements this season.

"I am more focused, I am faster this year, I have been doing some work on my technique and it's paying off," said Spencer.

"I have been working on my hurdling technique a lot and that has been working very well. Brigitte Foster-Hylton has been working with us (at MVP Track Club)."

Spencer was disqualified in the heats at last year's World Championships in Moscow, but finished fourth at the 2011 and 2009 instalments in Daegu and Berlin, respectively, as well as at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.