JESSICA Judd is determined to erase the disappointing memories of Moscow when she makes her Commonwealth Games debut this lunchtime.
The Canvey teenager still has bitter memories of 11 months ago when, carrying an injury, she crashed out in the first round at the World Championships in Russia.
It was a tough initiation into the senior ranks for the 19-year-old whose first senior championships were over before they had really began.
A year on, Judd is coming into her second major championships fully fit and determined to be in action more than once in Glasgow.
“For me, first up, it would be nice to get out of the heat after what happened in Moscow last year,” said Judd. “I think this season is the first time that I’m peaking at the right time so hopefully it’s coming together at the right time.”
Judd has battled back from a succession of injuries since the World Championships last year.
A plantaris tendon injury to her ankle ruined her World Championships bid in Moscow and then she fractured her back during the winter which led to three months out.
She describes her season so far as “not as quick as last year” but has still run a personal best this season of 1m 59.77s in Oslo and ran inside two minutes again in Monaco a little over a week ago.
“I wouldn’t say this season has been slow, I’ve still managed to run a PB,” said Judd. “But it’s not started as quickly as previous years. But training has been going really well, I’m going there in good shape and I’m really excited now.”
Judd has already had a taste of what she can expect today when she ran in the Glasgow Grand Prix meeting at Hampden Park earlier this month.
“It was good to have had that experience,” she said. “It was nice to go through the warm up areas and the call room and get used to all of that. And although the stadium was not full, the noise was unbelievable so it makes me really excited about what it will be like when it’s full today.”
Judd is in the third of four 800m heats today with her race scheduled to take place at 12.12pm.
She is the second fastest runner in the field on paper with Canada’s Melissa Bishop the number-one ranked athlete.
India’s Tintu Lukka, New Zealand’s Angie Smith and Scotland’s Emily Dudgeon are also in a tricky looking field.
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