TOKYO, Japan – Back for her second straight Olympics, Pedrya Seymour said she is looking to build off her experience from five years ago and have a strong showing for Team Bahamas here in Tokyo, Japan.

Seymour, 26, shocked the world in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, five years ago, coming into the Olympics as a relatively newcomer in the women’s 100 meters (m) hurdles and going on to make the final and finishing sixth. She ran a then national record time of 12.64 seconds in the semifinals.

As these Games of the 32nd Olympiad gradually progress along, with athletics set to start on Friday, Seymour said she is embracing the feeling of competing at the highest level and is determined to turn in a strong performance.

The heats of the women’s 100m hurdles are set for Saturday morning at 10:45 a.m. at the Japan National Stadium here in Tokyo, 9:45 p.m. Friday night in The Bahamas. The semifinals are set for Sunday evening and the final will be held on Monday.

“I feel great. It’s good to be a two-time Olympian and I’m blessed to be here,” she said. “I just want to go out there and run each round to the best of my ability and the time and result will take care of itself. I don’t ever worry about the competition. I just go out there, focus on my race and do what I have to do.”

One of the athletes she will be going up against is her teammate Devynne Charlton, who broke Seymour’s national record in Walnut, California, in May of this year, running 12.61 seconds.

Both athletes have consistently been under 13 seconds this year and are quite capable of turning it on when they need to.

Seymour said she has had a challenging season on the track, but is prepared to put all of that behind her and focus on the task at hand.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian