Marvin Anderson (right) dips at the finish line with Antigua and Barbuda's Brendan Christian in the men's 200 metres final at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2007. Christian had won gold ahead of Anderson, who has admitted it won't be easy making the Jamaican team to this year's World Champs.
Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer
Having to compete against the two fastest men in the world for a spot on a national track team is not something any athlete would look forward to. Just ask Jamaican Marvin Anderson.
"It makes life tough," Anderson admitted during a recent interview, as he and several other athletes took up SuperClubs invitations for vacation at Grand Lido Braco Resort in Trelawny.
But the sprint athlete, a past student of William Knibb High School, says he is determined to secure his place to the 2009 World Championship of Athletics in Germany in August in the individual sprint.
"Before the World games, we have the national championships and everything is geared towards that. It's important that I do well at that championship because if I don't do well there's no World games (for me). So, the priority is getting it right for the national championships. That's where the focus is right now," Anderson told The Gleaner.
Aiming for top finish
At the upcoming national championships, Anderson says he aims to finish in the top three in both 100 and 200 metres, in order to secure his place on the squad as an individual entrant.
With a best time of 10.11 seconds over the 100 metres, Anderson says he intends to run below 10 seconds this year and it could be at the Jamaica championships.
He may well have to produce his personal best in the 100 metres if he intends to make the team. With Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt virtually secure, the third place will be up for grabs.
Michael Frater and Nesta Carter, both from the MVP Track Club where Powell is based and who were part of the record-breaking 4x100 metres relay team in Beijing last summer, have best times of 9.97 and 9.98 seconds, respectively.
But Anderson could draw strength from his colleague Bolt, who is also trained by Glen Mills.
In the 200 metres, if things play true to form, Bolt should win and two athletes will accompany him to the World Champs.
With Frater not expected to contest the 200, Anderson, with a personal best of 20.06, has to contend with, among others, Carter, with a personal best of 20.31.
Laying a foundation
The nationals and the World Championships will also be used to lay the groundwork for the London 2012 Olympics, Anderson added.
"Pretty much everything is laying a foundation to go to Olympics 2012. We have two World Championships and a Commonwealth Games before that so it's going to be active for the next three or four years. Each year is laying the foundation for the year to come."
Anderson showed promise as a youth but has been beset by injuries. He celebrates his 27th birthday on May 12 and may be at the right stage of his career to perform at his best, which could see him realising his objectives.
He was on the Jamaica team that won a silver medal in the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, where he also finished sixth in the 200m final.
At last year's Beijing Olympics, he placed third in the first-round heat of the 200m behind Marlon Devonish and Kim Collins, to qualify for the second round where he was eliminated after he failed to finish.