Walker

ROME, Italy (CMC):

Melaine Walker believes she is now a strong contender to become Jamaica's second Olympic gold medal winner in the women's 400 metres hurdles with Australian Jana Rawlinson out of the Games with an injury.

Deon Hemmings won the event in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympic Games - at that time - becoming Jamaica's first female Olympic champion, and Walker is optimistic about following in that trend.

Showing confidence

"Of course!" Walker said confidently after her victory in the event on Friday. "I believe I'm the next person up for that gold medal (in Beijing). Most definitely ... by the Olympics, I should be coming out rolling."

Walker, the third fastest this season with a time of 54.18 seconds, has been running well since joining the Stephen Francis-coached MVP track club.

Fifth victory

The hurdler grabbed her fifth victory this season at the Golden Gala meeting when she ran a powerhouse race to dismiss a strong field, which included World Championship bronze medallist Anna Jesien of Poland and American champion Tiffany Williams.

Walker's winning time of 54.36 secs was her second fastest this season and she thinks everything is coming together.

"The only person that can beat me is me," she said. "I've already ran a 54.1 for the season by myself, so all I need to do is to go out there and do what I have been coached."

The 25-year-old is a former two-time World Junior Championships medallist.

At the Jamaica Olympic Trials last month, Walker produced 54.58 to land her third consecutive 400m hurdles national title.