Patrizia van der Weken is preparing for her third consecutive Diamond League final as she looks to end a difficult season on a high in Brussels this weekend.
The Luxembourg sprinter will line up alongside eight of the world's leading athletes in the women's 100 metres on Saturday. Qualifying for the final three years in a row is already an achievement in itself.
There was plenty of optimism during training ahead of the event. Van der Weken said she felt she was in good shape and capable of producing a strong time. Exactly how fast she can go will become clear on Saturday, she added, but "a season's best would definitely be good".
Her fastest time this season is 11.05 seconds, while the Luxembourg national record stands at 11.00. Whether she can improve on either mark will depend on several factors, according to her coach Arnaud Starck.
"The time also depends a lot on the conditions," he said, pointing to the temperature and wind among the factors that could affect the race. Nevertheless, he said "all the signs are positive" for a strong performance.
Van der Weken has struggled with injuries for much of the season, which also took a toll mentally. Those problems have not disappeared entirely, but the situation has improved considerably.
Starck said the issues were the kind that can persist over a longer period, but were now "well under control", with far less pain and discomfort. He also praised the medical team and support staff around Van der Weken for helping her through her preparation.
A week after Brussels, the sprinter will travel to Budapest for a new competition described as a form of unofficial world championship, with significant prize money on offer.
Van der Weken can also expect plenty of support from Luxembourg in Brussels, with both CSL and CAPA Ettelbruck organising buses for supporters travelling to the event.
She will not be the only Luxembourg athlete competing in the Diamond League final. Ruben Querinjean has qualified for the men's 3,000m steeplechase, making this the first time two Luxembourg athletes have reached the final in the same year.
The women's 100m final featuring Van der Weken is scheduled for Saturday at 8.14pm, while Querinjean's 3,000m steeplechase final will take place at 9.20pm.
