NICKEISHA WILSON, one of the youngest World Championships 400m hurdles finalists of all time, has started her 2008 outdoor season in blazing fashion.

At 21, Wilson, who is the second youngest to finish in the top four at the World Championships (Jana Rawlinson was 20 when she took her first title in 2003), raced to an impressive personal best at last weekend's Texas Relays.

It, however, was in the women's 100m hurdles where Wilson, who is eyeing a spot on Jamaica Olympic team this summer, sped to a sizzling 12.85 seconds to beat former Queen's School athlete and Jamaica junior Latoya Greaves, competing for Oklahoma Baptist University (13.19).

FOURTH FASTEST

It was behind this performance, which ranks her the fourth fastest in the event this year, that she has been selected The Gleaner's Top Performer of the Week.

A 400m hurdles silver medallist at last year's Pan American Games in Brazil, Wilson's victory followed her impressive showing at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tiger Relays the weekend before where she ran 13.19 seconds to capture the event.

Wilson, a star athlete at LSU, is gearing up for the summer Olympic in Beijing, China, where will be a strong contender for a medal in the 400m hurdles. The former Convent of Mercy High School - Alpha standout's 53.97 seconds for fourth at the World Championships last year ranks her with 1996 Olympic champion Deon Hemmings-McCatty (52.82), Sandra Farmer-Patrick (52.79), running for the US, and Debbie Ann Parris-Thymes (53.88) as the only Jamaicans to break the 54-second barrier.