ljubjana, slovenia, cmc

Reuters international news agency reported Friday that Jamaican-born sprinter Merlene Ottey is trying for an astounding eighth appearance at an Olympic Games.

Ottey, who turned 48 years old in May, will attempt - at two meets over the next week - to make Olympic qualifying marks for the 100 metres.

If she succeeds, she will become the first athlete in history to compete in eight Olympic Games.

According to Reuters, Ottey, who has competed at every Olympic Games since her first as a 20-year-old in Moscow 1980, will run at meetings in the Slovenian city of Maribor today and next Tuesday in an attempt to achieve the Olympic 100 metres qualifying time by the deadline on Wednesday.

Beijing has listed 11.32 and 11.42 seconds as A and B qualifying standards, respectively, for the women's 100 metres.

Ottey collected eight Olympic medals for Jamaica between 1980 and 2000 but switched allegiance to Slovenia and ran for her adopted country at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

She became a Slovenian citizen in 2002.

Ottey is the third-fastest woman all-time over 200 metres at 21.64 seconds and No 4 all-time in the 100 metres at 10.74 seconds.

In addition to her eight Olympic medals, she has won 14 World Championship medals, including 200-metre gold in 1993 and 1995.