As Aliyah Abrams gears up for probably the biggest race of her career today, she is receiving solid backing from retired professional athlete Marian Burnett.
“Run the race likes it’s the final,” said Burnett.
“She has to go as hard as she could, don’t worry about preserving anything, because you never know what could happen in the run-up to the final,” Burnett advised.
She was referring to the unpredictable nature of rounds competition at major competitions where good times are just as important as winning in the qualifying rounds.
Abrams is aiming to become the first Guyanese woman to reach the final at the World Athletics Championships, currently being staged at Hayward Field, Eugene Oregon, USA.
Burnett, a Pan American Games 800 metres silver medalist, said it’s all about Abrams giving it her all in case she doesn’t place it the top two but can advance with a good enough time.
The first two finishers along with the fastest two losers will qualify for the final.
Abrams advanced to the semi-finals with a second place in her first round heat on Sunday, to make it back-to-back berths in her favored 400 metres in major Global competitions, after reaching the final 24 at the Tokyo Olympics last year.
She entered this year’s event coming off a hot streak in the last eight months, having placed fifth at the World Indoor Championships final and setting a new national outdoor record of 51, 13 seconds.
Abrams is listed in Heat Two of the three-race semi-finals and will face off against Jamaica star Stephanie Ann McPherson, and has drawn lane six. McPherson is in lane three, ahead of the Guyanese.
Burnett explained that it is a good position for the Guyanese, being behind the Jamaican, the pre-race favorite as she can see how McPherson is progressing from behind.
“She will also have to watch Cofil (Dominican Republic) who ran well in the 4×400 (mixed relay) and the girl from Poland (Natalie Kaczmafrek)’, Burnette opined.
“These semi-final races are sometimes more taxing than the actual final as it where you give it your all to qualify based on placings and time”, the former middle-distance specialist pointed out.
Burnett lauded Abrams for her recent accomplishments in placing fifth at the World Indoor Championships and setting a new national outdoor record, all this year.
“She is making Guyana proud and I’m fully backing her to produce even more good results now and in the future, she added.”
“That track (Hayward Field) can be unpredictable with the wind as it sometimes can vary, she added, referring to the patterns.
“But we have confidence in her as a Guyanese to overcome whatever problems arise as it is important she rests and hydrate well all the time”.
If she qualifies for the final Abrams will become the first female representing Guyana to qualify at that level in a World Championships or Olympics.
Abrams and Guyana team coach Jeremy Bascom rounded off their preparations with a final practice session at the Lane Community College practice track in Eugene yesterday.
