Jay Donawa believes he can become a major contender in regional athletics.

Buoyed by a decent performance in last Sunday?s inaugural North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association?s (NACAC) Cross Country Championships in Florida, the Bermudian distance runner has set his sights on competing regularly abroad in order to enhance his ability and results.

Stating that he is motivated to train once he is getting into quality races, he disclosed his intentions for this year.

?I?m going to need to race consistently at this level, week in, week out. What I?m trying to do now is set things up so I?m running overseas every two weekends between now and June, until the CAC track championships in The Bahamas,? explained Donawa who placed 15th out of 31 athletes in NACAC?s Senior Men?s division in 26.54 minutes.

Given challenging terrain and the fact that he is not at peak fitness, the 32-year-old was pleased with the outcome, seeing it as encouragement to continue his quest.

?I felt really happy about the way the results went. There was a very good field of runners and I was able to run at a pretty high level. Obviously, I?m not at my peak as yet because it?s early in the season but nonetheless it?s something I can build on.

?Had I gone in at my peak and performed that way, then I might have been disappointed but I know this is the start of my season. I feel confident there is a lot of room for improvement. I know I?m capable of improving enough to be in the mix of things on the regional level and that?s what I want.

?This was a competition I needed to get into to gauge where I am in comparison to where I want to be when I look back at my whole season. It?s all about getting to the next level.?

Regarding the 8km course, he described it as ?very tough and hilly?. The footing ? while grassy ? was very sandy ?so it was very difficult, similar to running on the beach?.

Chuckling, Donawa quipped that when he finished ?I knew I had run?.

?My stomach muscles and everything were tight and sore. I knew I put in a good effort. The times reflect the difficulty of the course. When I was in university my fastest 8km time in cross country was 24.06 minutes but that was a flat course with good footing,? he noted, adding that he was about 300 metres away from ?being really competitive in the top ten?.

Now, the ace runner turns his attention to the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Paris, France on March 20.

Pitted against the world?s best on a 12km course, Donawa knows will be the race of a lifetime and, with less than two weeks to go, there?s little he can do to improve his fitness. Therefore, his aim is simply to maintain his current form and give his utmost.

?It?s going to be a very good experience. I?m not kidding myself. I know the level of competition will be far greater than I?ve ever had,? he added.

?I?m going to go in there and run as hard as I can and see what happens.?