‘We are hungry’ - Nelson says 4x100 quartet prepared for relay final

PARIS, France:

As much as the road to get to her first Olympic Games has been fraught with difficulty and uncertainty, Kemba Nelson is ready to turn the page, not only from her whirlwind experience, to help her team secure a fourth straight Olympic Games podium finish in the women's 4x100m relay.

The Jamaican team of Nelson, Alana Reid, Shashalee Forbes and Tia Clayton finished third in their first-round heat yesterday to secure a spot in today's final at 12:30 p.m. (Jamaica time).

Nelson was a last-minute addition to the team, after injury concerns with five-time World 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and World 200m champion Shericka Jackson led to their withdrawal for the rest of the Games.

Nelson was originally one of the last-minute inclusions to the team earlier in July. However, she was told that she was no longer needed as an alternate member of the relay squad. The circumstances since have caused Nelson to travel from Spain to Paris to make up a youthful Jamaica team.

For Nelson, the path to having Olympian attached to her name was not pleasant, but nevertheless she is grateful that she finally has the experience to enjoy.

"It's been fun. I just have been trying to put it behind me. What's in the past is in the past and just move forward with a positive mindset. It's always positivity for the meet. We have a really strong team behind me to get me there. And I think these past few days have been good," Nelson said.

Practice has been limited for Nelson as Clayton and Forbes were competing in the women's 100m, but she admitted that she was prepared with the sessions they got.

"I was prepared for it. It wasn't anything out of the unusual. I mean, I trust Alana, trust the mark and just wanted to hand it off in ... a good position. But we got in a few really solid sessions and it showed today (yesterday)," Nelson said.

"I just have to trust Alana, Shashalee and Tia. We are hungry. We want it and we have to get it done," Nelson said.