Jamaica-based Hinds Barbados' 100m hope »

Barbados' 100 m hope Andrew Hinds

Barbados' fastest man, Andrew Hinds, says he would love to run in the same heat as world-class sprinters Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell at the forthcoming Beijing Olympics.

 "Everybody's talking about Bolt and Powell. It would be a dream come through to run against those guys. I am looking forward to the Olympics and racing against the best," said the Jamaica-based Hinds, who leaves for Kingston today before heading to Venice, Italy where he will launch his Olympic bid.

For a period spanning more than a decade comprising three Olympics, Obadele Thompson has been the king of sprinting in this country, but there has been a changing of the guard over the past three seasons with Hinds coming to the fore.

At the 2006 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Colombia, he took a bronze medal in the 200 metres and all season he has been in good form, racing to a lifetime best of 10.16 secs in Brazil last month. Last weekend's nationals, the clock was stopped at 10.18 secs when he zoomed across the line in an emphatic victory.

Thompson pulled up grimacing in pain in the semi-finals of the 100-metre dash, spoiling the clash scores of fans were hoping for.

"I really wanted Oba to run. I was disappointed when he got injured. No one knows what would have happened, but anything is possible and I would have tried my best.

"I honestly believed that I would have gotten a little push from Oba and would have gone faster than 10.18 secs."

Hinds, a product of Ellerslie, St James Secondary and Coleridge & Parry, thinks he is maturing both as a man and an athlete.

"I have come a long way and I feel I am now turning the corner. I am looking forward to Beijing. I would love to medal, I will try my best, I am going to give it my all. Anything can happen in the 100 metres.

"By Olympics, once I stay healthy, I should be running in the very low tens. At this point, I am running really well, but I know I have to run faster."

Andrew is following in the footsteps of his father, Hadley Hinds, who was a member of Barbados' first Olympics team at the 1968 Games in the high altitude of Mexico City.

"It's an honour to go to the Olympics. My goal is to get to the final and see what happens from there. The competition in Europe will be good and I should be sharp.

"The key to success is really about being mentally in tune. I try to keep focused and don't worry about the outcome."

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