Wallace attributes 400m improvement to training partner

One of the big winners at the Carifta Trials over the weekend was Zachary Wallace in the boys' under-20 400 metres. Now representing Elite Performance Track Club, the former Maggotty High School athlete raced to a personal best 45.77 seconds, beating a very strong line-up.

In his first year at club level competing against top senior athletes, the 19-year-old was very pleased with his performance, where he dragged second-place finisher Junior Gallimore of Hydel High and third-place Jabari Matheson of William Knibb Memorial High School to personal bests of 45.87 and 45.90 seconds, respectively.

Wallace spoke about his win and his rapid improvement in the one-lap event just coming out of the high school programme.

"I was really focused coming into the trials and for me it was all about execution and I achieved that," he said.

"I have a really good training partner in Deandre Watkins who pushes me in training and this has really helped with my improvement in the event. Also, I am now healthy, as in the past I was plagued with a hamstring injury, but now I have overcome this, allowing me to train properly," he shared.

Now in the spotlight, he is not letting that get the better of him.

"I know that it was a good performance and being in the spotlight I will not let that get to me as it is all about staying focused and listening to my coaches, and as long as I stay injury-free the sky's the limit for me," he said.