Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer

Nickiesha Wilson heard the whispers. They weren't all nice. Some claim her split from American college coach Dennis Shaver and change of training base in the United States (US), weeks before Jamaica's track and field trials, damaged the hurdler's prospects to shine at this month's IAAF World Championships in Athletics (WCA) in Berlin, Germany.

Third place in the 400-metre hurdles at the June trials, in an unflattering time of 56.01 seconds, did little to convince the doubters otherwise. The 23-year-old Wilson, after all, had clocked a personal best 53.97 to finish fourth at the WCA in Japan two years ago. She should be in her prime.

Before that, she had won the event at Girls Champs for Alpha in 2005 and was the 2008 US national collegiate champion for powerhouse Louisiana State University (LSU). In two years at LSU, where she was 16-time All-American and eight-time champion, Wilson became the most honoured hurdler in American collegiate history. She emerged world class in both 100- and 400-metres hurdles and was versatile enough to run relays. Still, some hurry to judge.

"Everyone is thinking because I left LSU and I left coach Shaver and whatever," said Wilson, explaining her sub-par performances hours before departing for Germany to join Jamaica's WCA training camp last week. "But that's not the case."

Switching coaches, Wilson argued, couldn't possibly explain her steep decline.

"I wouldn't like drop way down to 56 (seconds), from a 55.2," she said. "It wouldn't be that dramatic of a change."

FAST START

Wilson started 2009 well. She clocked 55.20, then the second fastest in the world, to win the Jamaica International Invitational (JII) on May 2. But two weeks later, while running the 100 hurdles at the Adidas Track Classic in California, Wilson clipped the first barrier and landed awkwardly on her right ankle.

"I didn't feel it in the race," she said, "but afterwards it started hurting."

Her season tilted towards disaster. The damage was largely played down, but Wilson could not hide its troubling effects.

"Yeah, it was really bad," she said. "Trust me, I couldn't practise and I mean no one knows that."

To compound matters, efforts to compensate for the injury altered Wilson's running style. Her left ankle suffered.

"I'd been putting a lot of pressure on the other leg," she explained. "So they both started hurting."

The pre-trials preparation was hell.

"At one point in time I couldn't even walk," Wilson said.

Pain restricted her to "stride" training and the weight room. She showed up at the trials "probably 80 per cent" fit, hoping to snatch a spot to Berlin.

SURPRISE

Yet some claimed she had already moved too fast. Wilson surprisingly turned professional last year, before finishing her college eligibility. Observers wondered if leaving Shaver's camp in May was impulsive too. The LSU coach guides elite athletes like Richard Thompson, the 2008 Olympic 100-metres silver medallist, and Jamaica's 400 metres hurdles champion Isa Phillips.

Without the hectic college season, Wilson was short of competition, too. She headed to Europe. But 56.56 for fourth in Greece on July 20 only fueled further speculation.

The world leaders in the event, meanwhile, weren't waiting around. Olympic champion Melaine Walker, who ran 55.50 in February, clocked 54.70 to win the trials. Kaliese Spencer (55.89) was beaten by Wilson at the JII, but finished second at the trials in 54.71. American Lashinda Demus cruised home in 54.29 in Greece, but eight days later, stamped herself WCA favourite with 52.63 in Monaco.

Two weeks ago, Wilson returned to her new base in Atlanta, Georgia, determined to shift gears. Chiropractors, massage therapists and other specialists helped make her legs pain free. She sought divine assistance too.

"I've done a lot of prayer and stuff, you know," Wilson said. "It's feeling much better now."

TORRID TEST

On Wednesday morning, in the punishing Georgia heat, Wilson put in a torrid test run under the gaze of new coach Loren Seagrave. He declined to reveal the time, but his smile betrayed the stopwatch.

"It's a good indicator," said Seagrave, who once coached Jamaican-born hurdler Sandra Farmer-Patrick. "I use it a lot for 400 hurdlers ... If they can get to 350 (metre mark) in a certain time, then it's gonna take them X number of seconds to get to the finish line."

Predicting how soon Wilson would return to her best was harder. She joined Seagrave in early June. Damaged ankles were only part of the equation.

"She had both Achilles tendons and peroneal tendons and feet problems and things like that," the coach explained. "So there wasn't a lot we could do, from a training standpoint, until we got her healthy."

Wilson gradually got over the injuries. Her hurdling technique, once distorted, progressed as well.

"She has not complained about any soreness or anything," Seagrave said. "Her landing mechanics, particularly on her left leg, have improved because now she's able to maintain her arm action over the top of the hurdles."

While Wilson admits there is not much difference between the methods of Shaver and Seagrave, she has no regrets about the switch.

"It's worked out good," she said. "I love it here and I like my new coach ... . I do believe in the programme and once you believe in that programme then, you know, you're bound to do good."

FINAL BURST

According to Seagrave, that would mean at least getting to the WCA final. Wilson said her preparation has "been going good," but admits she will not be totally ready in Berlin. She rated herself about "90 per cent" going in, but wants to be about 95 per cent by her first race on August 17. Wilson is hoping to get through the preliminary and semi-final, run on back-to-back days. With a rest day before the final, the second run will be key.

"The focus for her is to run the semi-final like the final," Seagrave said. "And I think you're gonna have to run sub-54 seconds to make it into the final."

Both Wilson and Seagrave are confident. The coach is proud of her commitment.

"It hasn't been fun by any means," he said. "(But) every day that she had to line up and go she has responded with quality and intensity."

Wilson knows the whispers say that may not be enough for a medal in Berlin. It doesn't matter.

"I'm gonna be in the mix," she said, bursting into laughter, the workout sweat still streaming down her face.

"Despite the injury and everything, I mean, I'm still gonna go out there and give 100 per cent."