HUBERT LAWRENCE, STAR Writer

Fresh from solid runs in Atlanta and Kingston, Javon Francis has his sights firmly fixed on the Jamaica National Championships, next weekend.

The 20-year-old 400-metre runner said his target is to run well enough at the nationals to make the team to the World Championships in Beijing this August. Following that, he is aiming to make the final in his event.

"I'm going to go there and just qualify for the team. It doesn't matter to me if I win or lose," he said.

Last weekend, Francis broke 45 seconds for 400m, for the third time, when he won in 44.50 seconds at the last in a series of all-comers meets staged at the National Stadium.

That was a follow-up to his breakthrough performance last month at the Jamaica International Invitational, where he lowered his personal best from 45.00 to 44.90 seconds and a solo run of 44.96 in Atlanta.

The 44.50 put him level with 1983 World Champion Bert Cameron in joint third place on the Jamaica all-time performance list. The only Jamaicans to have run the 400 faster are Roxbert Martin, 44.49 in 1997, and Jermaine Gonzales, 44.40 in 2010.

"I'm hoping to win this nationals but I just want to make the team," he reiterated.

"After that, we move to World Championships, go out there and try to make finals."

He's looking forward to racing Kirani James. Francis expects to be pulled to a personal best by the 2012 Olympic champion.

"When I get a race with Kirani James, I'm just going to see if I can go below my PR."

James has clocked 43.95, 44.22, and 44.31 seconds for 400m this season.