Athens 2004 qualifier and medal hopeful Aliann Pompey, who eclipsed her personal best and national women's 400-metre record for the third time in as many months Saturday, says she is feeling confident ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Pompey, who returned 50.93 seconds in placing second at a meet in Spain Saturday, told Stabroek Sports in a telephone interview immediately afterwards that she was... "feeling much more confident and even excited leading up to the Olympics."
Competing in the women's 400-metre at the Meeting de Madrid in Spain, Pompey placed second to Romanian runner Ionela Tirlea, who returned 50.80 seconds.
Despite placing second, Pompey was able to erase the 51.09 seconds she registered for the distance on July 11 when she placed fourth at the Bergen Bislett Games in Norway.
Asked how she felt about the record-breaking run Pompey declared: "It's a great feeling."
The winner of that event was Bahamas' Tonique Williams, who had clocked 49.78s. Tirlea had placed third in 51.05s.
Pompey's time (51.09s) on July 11 was better than the 51.11s she clocked at the Grand Premio Brasil, Caix de Atletismo meet on May 23 when she placed second to USA's Monique Hennagan (51.10s).
The 51.11s erased the 51.34s she returned in the semi-final of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.
One week before placing second to Hennagan, Pompey had beaten the American into second place clocking 51.58s to Hennagan's 51.67s.
According to the local track star, the first 200 metres was faster than any other she has ran to date.
Pompey said Tirlea and Great Britain's Donna Fraser were on the inside lanes and she never saw them until she went around the final turn. By that time, the duo were sharing the lead.
She, however, managed to overtake Fraser in the final 15 metres and was closing in on Tirlea at the finish but she missed out.
Fraser placed fourth in 51.96s while Grenada's Hazel Regis finished third in 51.52s. Jamaica's Sandi Richards placed seventh in 52.68s.
The 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medalist said with the Athens Olympics just 25 days away, she will be seeking to better Saturday's performance when she participates in another meet in Thessaloniki, Greece today. Pompey left Spain on Saturday evening for Greece.
For the 2004 season, Pompey has been inconsistent, but said she hopes to peak in Athens next month.
The United States-based Guyanese, also holds the national 200-metre record.