AFTER making the switch from the 100 and 200 metres to 110 metres hurdles this season, former Calabar High school speedster, Dwight "Bigga" Thomas, has no regrets and is bent on building on his successes next year.

After representing the country on several occasions in the flat events and relays, Thomas, who prior to this season competed in the 110 metres hurdles in 2004, decided that he was making the move this year because he knew he had the ability to do well.

"I made the move not only because Jamaica was loaded with sprinters, but also because I know I am a good hurdler and, with my speed, I can do something special," Thomas said in an interview two days after winning the event in his final meet last Friday in Daegu, Korea, in a respectable 13.36 seconds.

Although he failed to medal at the World Championships, where he finished seventh, Thomas said he was not disappointed.

"I hurt myself four days before the start of my event, picking up a hamstring injury, and this affected me," said Thomas, who also ran in the preliminary round of the men's 4x100 metres relay for Jamaica at the World Championships.

Mental preparation

"Although I was a bit hurt before my event, I was not concerned that much physically at the start of the race. The situation affected me more mentally as I said to myself that I did not want to go out too hard at the start and then have something serious happen early in the race.

"This contributed to me getting out of the blocks slowly, which threw away any chances I had of medalling," he continued.

Thomas was pleased about breaking the national record of 13.17 seconds, by clocking 13.16 at the Zurich Grand Prix.

"I am very happy to be the new national record-holder and next year I am looking forward to go under 13 seconds.

"Of all the hurdlers competing, I am the quickest and all I have to do is to improve on the technical aspect of the race. If I improve I know I will be in the 12 range soon," he said.

Good form

Despite a long season, Thomas was still able to maintain his good form towards the end, where he won his final two races in Shangai and Daegu very comfortably.

"I was a bit tired, but because my agent had made previous committments for these races I went and competed. With the top hurdlers absent, there was little or no pressure for me and I was able to do well," said Thomas.

While he is looking forward to next season, Thomas knows it will not be as easy, because he will have to improve his performance in order to compete with two of the world's top hurdlers, Dayron Robles of Cuba and Liu Xiang of China, who were injured this year but will be back next year.

Thomas is happy that they will be back and, along with new world champion, Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados, he is looking forward to the challenge.

No fear

"I have no fear about these athletes coming back because at the end of the day if you win and do not beat the best, people are going to say you won because they were absent and I want to beat the best," he said confidently.

In his closing remarks, Thomas had high praises for former national record-holder, Maurice Wignall, who defeated him at the national championships.

"I have a lot of respect for Maurice as he is one of the hurdlers who motivated me. We went to the same high school and I always was motivated by him.

"Before I attended Calabar I was impressed with his technique and I think he is the best, technically, in the business."