updated 4:25 p.m. ET Feb. 7, 2006

NEW YORK - Gail Devers was wide awake in her hotel room when she should have been sound asleep. This, after all, was the night before her return to track after a 16-month break.

She didn’t care. She was loving every minute of it.

Devers was interrupting her sleep for essentially the same reason she interrupted her 22-year career as a world-class hurdler and sprinter. Her baby daughter, Karsen, demanded attention. So Devers fed her and played with her, and found a new way to get ready for a race.

“I have new inspiration and new motivation,” said Devers. “Now, it’s like ’OK. Hey. I’ve got a daughter who will be looking at me one day.”’

The 39-year-old runner came in a modest fourth with a time of 8.13 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles at the Millrose Games on Friday night. She’s a three-time champion in the event at Madison Square Garden, but this time she was just happy to be back, while her newest fan watched from in the stands.

“To bring her to my first meet was amazing,” she said.

First, not the last
It won’t be Devers’ last race in front of Karsen, either. Devers, who said she laughed at rumors she had retired during her time off, plans to run again soon, just as soon as she can get hold of a schedule of events.

“When I was away from track and field, I was away from track and field,” Devers said. “I do plan on you seeing me at least one time in the outdoor season.”

Exactly when will depend on her preparation.

Devers says she put on just 17 pounds during pregnancy, and never had morning sickness or cravings. Karsen was delivered by an emergency Caesarean section in June, preventing Devers from vigorous exercise for six months.

Devers, who acts as her own coach, didn’t have time to work on speed or regaining her timing in the blocks. After reviewing tape of Friday’s race, she said she appeared almost not to notice the starter’s pistol.

“If I would have had another month at least, it would have been a whole different Gail Devers out there,” she said.

Once back in form, Devers won’t restrict herself to U.S. meets. If she runs in Europe, she’ll get Karsen a passport. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter for any longer than she has to.

Devers also won’t rule out the 2008 Beijing Olympics, though she’d be nearly 42 then. It would be her sixth Olympics. And it would be one last shot for her at a gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles. Although Devers is one of the world’s top hurdlers, with three titles, her Olympic medals came in the 100-meter sprints in 1992 and 1996.

“You never know. You may see me at the Olympics,” Devers said. “If you look at the Olympic record book, you wouldn’t know I ran the hurdles.”

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Devers discussed the possibility of retiring before the 2004 Olympics but went to Athens and made another attempt in the hurdles. She never even got a chance to go for the gold. She fell in her first heat, before she even reached a hurdle.

Afterward, she retreated to start a family, just as she and husband Mike Phillips had planned. That she made no public announcement of her plans may have led to talk she was done with track.

But, as Devers is fond of saying, she’ll only “say the r-word once.” And that will be that.

“Just knowing me, that’s my personality. I’ll just say ’I’m done’ one day,” Devers said. “I don’t want to leave on anybody else’s terms but my terms.”

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