Williams-Mills

At first glance, the gold medal for the women's 400 metres at the Commonwealth Games is nicely laid out on a platter for Jamaica's Novlene Williams-Mills. She is in fine form and her top Commonwealth rivals aren't. It seems that all the Ferncourt High School graduate has to do is turn in a workwoman-like performance and she'll be on the top of the podium in Glasgow, host city of the Games.

If she does win, she'll be running in the footsteps of Marilyn Neufville and Sandie Richards who won the event for Jamaica in 1970 and 1998, respectively. Neufville will be a particularly hard act to follow as she set a world record to win in Edinburgh. That aside, Williams-Mills is in pole position. She heads the Commonwealth performance list with the time that won her the Jamaican national title, 50.05 seconds. She finished third eight years ago to Christine Ohuruogu and the now retired Bahamian star Tonique Williams. Ohuruogu is badly off form and may not be in Glasgow.

The defending champion Amantle Montsho of Botswana is a formidable foe. Though she hasn't been herself on the Diamond League circuit, the 2011 World champion is faster than the Jamaican on personal best times, 49.33 to 49.63. This year, Williamas-Mills has the advantage on the clock, 50.05 to 50.37 seconds.

The real dangers might be her teammates Christine Day and Stephenie McPherson. She has improved from 50.91 to 50.16 seconds for the runner-up position at the Nationals. Day wasn't a high school star but blossomed at UTech/MVP and now is in the shape of her life. McPherson made a big surge last year, culminating in a strong fourth-place finish at the World Championships. If she has shaken off early season maladies, her personal best of 49.92 seconds could be revised.

When the Botswanian won in 2010, her winning time of 50.10 broke the Games record set in 1998 by Richards. Williams-Mills, Day and McPherson all could bring the record and the gold medal back to Jamaica.