Australian sprinter Riley Day is heading into a crucial pre-Olympics hitout on the Gold Coast feeling on top of the world.
The 21-year-old will race her first 200m since April's national championships at the second meet of the Oceania Invitational Series as she prepares to blow out the cobwebs before her Olympic debut next month.
"I think about it like 'oh, it's pretty far away' and then I looked at my calendar of track running and I'm like, 'I can literally see it on one page, I can't scroll anymore, it's right there, pull your finger out'," Day told AAP about the impending Games.
"I'm the fittest and strongest I've ever been.
"I haven't raced yet but I feel like I'm the fastest I've ever been too so I'm really excited to see what I can do."
As well as the 200m, Day will be part of Australia's 4x100m relay squad aiming to qualify for the Games at Saturday's meet.
Australia are currently ranked 17th and need to be in the top 16 by June 29 to qualify. A time of 43.04 or faster on Saturday would be enough to bump them into an Olympic position.
The depth of talent within Australia's female sprinting ranks has never been better with seven women at 11.50 seconds or quicker, giving Day belief a relay berth is more than achievable.
"It's great and having everyone here and being willing to do the relay, that hasn't been the case in the past," Day said.
"It shows a lot of potential that we can go further and we can make an actual final - we can contend for a medal - if we keep going with this team and if we all just keep improving as individuals."
Another relay runner is national 100m champion Hana Basic, who will be hoping to secure her own ticket to Tokyo.
Her 11.14 time last weekend on the Gold Coast was under the Olympic qualifying mark of 11.15 but was ineligible due to wind assistance.
Basic is however positive she can ensure Australia has a male and female competing in the 100m events at the Olympics for the first time since Sydney 2000.
"I was a little bit rusty on Saturday which I guess is a pretty exciting thing," Basic told AAP.
"I was sort of all over the shop, especially towards the last half of the race.
"It should come together. Even if it doesn't, I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself and on the time.
"I've just got to execute my race. That's it."
Australian Associated Press
