Jamaica’s 400m hurdles rising star Roshawn Clarke though not predicting a time, told Our Today he can do something special in the flat 400m.

Clarke is the Under-20 world record holder in the 400 hurdles with 47.34 but has an impressive 45.24 in the flat 400m, an event for which he doesn’t train. Having such talent for a 20-year-old, speculations are rife as to which event might be his best.

“The flat 4 was always part of my program because I can run a very fast flat,” Clarke told Our Today. “But I didn’t really get the chance because my main event is 400-metre hurdles, so I don’t focus a lot on competing in the 400-metre to that. But if I focus on the 400-metre, I can give you a super-fast time. Promise you,” said a confident Clarke.

Clarke during his years at Camperdown High anchored the Class One 4×100 relay to third spot in 2022 and remarkably held off one Bouwahjgie Nkrumie of Kingston College. Nkrumie is now the fastest schoolboy ever in the history of Champs clocking 9.99 in 2023. That’s a measure of how quick Clarke can be and if he puts his mind to the 400m event, he will go very fast.

On February 10, 2024, at the Camperdown Classic, Clarke defeated the freshly-minted 2023 World champion Antonio Watson in the 400m stopping the clock at 46.06. Watson closed fast but was second in 46.10.

The 400m hurdles bronze medallist at the 2022 World Under-20 Championship, Clarke has represented Jamaica on several occasions in the Mixed Relay and the mile relays. Clarke, who is one of three Jamaicans, signed to the Michael Johnson-led Grand Slam Track Series said that event will see him run two events which will help improve his 400m running.

“But with that now running two events, as in 400 and 400-meter hurdle, we will see what happens because the focus can’t be on one now. Me and my coach will have to train accordingly,” he pointed out. “I don’t put times on myself but I know I can go very fast.”