JESSICA Judd is hoping a storm doesn’t blow her off course for the World Championships tonight.

The 20-year-old from Canvey is hoping to run a 1,500m qualifying time for the championships in Beijing when she competes in the Anniversary Games at London’s Olympic Stadium.

A forecast of strong winds and heavy rain later this evening is not what the Loughborough University student wanted to hear, but Judd insists she is in the form to have a real shot at running the required time of 4m 6.50s.

“If I don’t get a fast time then I’ll be disappointed,” said Judd whose personal best is 4m 9.56s set earlier this year. “I know I’m capable of running quicker, it’s just about being in a fast race.

“You can’t do anything about the weather. It’s a big stadium so hopefully the wind will stay out and I can just get on the train and beat as many girls as I can. Hopefully a good time will come from that.”

Judd, who has stepped up from 800m to 1,500m this year, admits she will be disappointed if she was to miss out on the World Championships but that she has no regrets about stepping up a distance.

“I would be disappointed not to go to Beijing because that was my aim at the start of the season,” she said.

“But if I run 4m 7s this season then I’ll be happy. My PB before this season was 4m 14s and with every race I’m getting faster.

“I think over the longer term I’ve got more potential over the 1,500m. I had a couple of really good years at 800m but I was so exhausted at the end of each of those years.

“I couldn’t run 1,500m last year. I was invited to do the New York Mile at the end of the season and I just couldn’t do it. That’s when I realised I needed to change things.

“And I’m really happy with how this year has gone. I feel so much better and no matter what happens, I’m going to race right through August and try to get my times down. I’m loving my running again.”

Judd, who is now based at Loughborough where she is at university, is also loving the fact she will be back racing at the Olympic Stadium again.

She won an 800m on that track just before the Olympics but missed out on competing at the Anniversary Games a year later because of a lower leg injury.

“On a personal level it’s nice to be back,” she said. “I will get really nervous before the start tonight but I’ll remember that last time I was watching it on TV with my leg injured. I am where I want to be now. I’m happy and I’m healthy and enjoying everything.”