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Shianne shines at Nationals despite injuries

Star of the show: Shianne Smith defended her heptathlon title at the National Track and Field Championships over the weekend. She also broke the 100 metres hurdles record, recorded a personal best in the shot putt and won the 400 metres.

Apparently Shianne Smith is “dealing with a few injuries” which are preventing her from hitting peak form.Not that you would have guessed from her eye-catching display at the Track and Field National Championships on the weekend, where she smashed the 100 metres hurdle record and set a personal best in the shot put.Just for good measure, Smith also won the 400 metres and claimed the open girls title at the National Sports Centre.The affable 25-year-old now hopes to set a few more national records and personal bests at the upcoming Island Games in the Isle of Wight.She won a silver medal in the 400 metres in Rhodes, Greece, four years' ago and, having studied the winning times and distances in Aaland in 2009, believes she's on the right track for medal glory.“It was a pretty good (National Championships) for me,” said the 2012 Olympic hopeful, “although right now I'm dealing with a few injuries and just trying to iron a few kinks out.“I was pleased to break the hurdles record in 14.79 seconds; I did a 14.6 recently but the wind was illegal.“Up next for me is the Island Games. I competed four years' ago in Rhodes and won a silver medal. I'll be doing four events this time around the hurdles, shot put, long jump and 4x4 relay. Looking at the times two years' ago I think I stand a good chance of medalling.”Last year was arguably Smith's most memorable season to date.She shattered the national heptathlon record, represented Bermuda at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico and graduated from California State, completing her four-year degree while on a track and field scholarshipThose achievements also saw her gain recognition from the Central American and Caribbean Athletics Confederation (CACAC), who named her as Bermuda's Female Athlete of the Year.And with the Pan Am Games coming up in October, an event she has already qualified for, and the World Championships in South Korea also a possibility, 2011 promises to be another career highlight for Smith.“I've already qualified for the Pan Am Games; it will be my biggest competition to date although I've done stuff like the CAC Games before,” she said.“I graduated from Cal State last year but I've remained in California as that's where my coach is. I need to stay focused for this season.”