Leighton Levy, Freelance Reporter

Nesta Cartar

With two weeks to go before the national track and field trials to select Jamaica's team to the Beijing Olympic Games, except for Usain Bolt, no other Jamaican male sprinter has won more races this season than Nesta Carter.

After four starts, the 22-year-old Carter has three wins and a personal best time of 10.08 seconds, achieved in the 100 metres in Berlin two weeks ago, making him Jamaica's second best sprinter this season.

Asafa Powell, the recently dethroned world record holder, has run only once since the start of the year.

Still, hardly anyone has taken notice, and understandably so. On May 3, Usain Bolt ran an astounding 9.76 seconds in the 100-metre sprint at the National Stadium. On May 31, Bolt, running in New York, smashed the world record that was held by Powell.

Toast of the country

Since then, Bolt has been the toast of the country and the track and field world, overshadowing even Powell's injury worries. However, Carter doesn't seem to mind. In fact, he is quite content with his progress so far.

"I am pleased. Last year I ran 10.11, way down in June. This year I have passed it. I've run 20.3 in my first 200 metres and the second one 20.6. I am pleased with my season. I have to give thanks," he said.

He is still undecided whether he will attempt to make the 200-metre squad to Beijing.

That decision, he says, is dependent on his coach, Stephen Francis.

Carter, a former star from Manchester High, has high, even if understated, goals for this season.

"I just want to stay healthy, that's the key thing and stay humble and try and make the team (to Beijing) and not just make the team, try and get a lane to run at the Olympics," he said.

But he prefers not to be at the forefront of the nation's consciousness. He says he does not need to be.

"It's kind of better for me," he said. "If you're in the mix you tend to put yourself under pressure which you don't want."

When the pressure does come, however, considering that behind him is a horde of sprinters, hoping to win places on the team to China, he feels he is prepared for it.

After last year's admission from Powell that he panicked under pressure in the World Championships 100-metre final in Osaka, Japan, coaches at the MVP camp, of which Carter is a member, have been working with their athletes on the mental side of their development. Carter believes these mental exercises have helped him so far this season and will make him ready to perform at his best on the biggest of stages.

It's the main reason why he feels he can run a personal best every time he steps on the track, adding that if he gets up and runs under 10 seconds, at his next meet, he would not be surprised. In fact, he says he intends to break the 10-second barrier sometime this season.

Main contenders

Carter, who is a World Championship silver medallist in the 4x100 metres relay, is also hoping to be a member of the team for Beijing that he believes can break the world record of 37.40 seconds, currently held by the United States. Just making the team is a challenge. He lists Michael Frater, Marvin Anderson and Steve Mullings as some of the main contenders to fill basically two spots, seeing that Powell and Bolt already command the other two. However, he thinks he is good enough to maintain his place.

In the meantime, he continues to work on his race, hoping he will uncork a performance that will thrust him into the glare of the national spotlight.