Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sports

Berlin, Germany:

Veteran Jamaican sprint hurdler, Delloreen Ennis-London, has her sights set on winning gold in the event at the 12th IAAF World Athletics Championships which starts today.

She is aiming to win a full set of medals at the prestigious championships, following her silver in 2005 in Helsinki, Finland, and bronze two years ago in Osaka, Japan.

Yesterday, Ennis-London who, at age 34, could be running in her fourth and last World Championships, was upbeat about her chances in the event after overcoming a hamstring injury earlier in the season.

"Preparation over the past two weeks has been very good so coming into the championships I am feeling very happy. I have won the bronze and the silver so the only thing in my mind right now is the gold," the business management graduate of Abilene Christian University said.

She added: "My event is wide open. Anyone can take the race so I am not coming here putting any pressure on myself, I am just going out there to execute the race according to my coach's instructions and I believe if I do what he says, then definitely I will be there."

Ennis-London is coached by her husband, Lincoln London.

While respecting her opponents, Ennis-London was reluctant to single out any athlete for special attention. The event includes defending champion Michelle Perry of the United States, her compatriot, the Olympic champion Dawn Harper and two other Jamaicans, Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Lacena Golding-Clarke.

"I respect my opponents but when I go into the race, I just focus on my lane and my lane alone. Any little mistake can throw you off, I am just hoping to have a clean race. Back in May, I was battling hamstring injuries and an Achilles problem. I still came out and ran 12.60 seconds. Now I am over all that so I am looking very excited and healthy and I am ready to run."

No special lane

The former St Jago High athlete thinks the lane draw will make little difference if she gets to the semi-finals and final.

"It is a straightway. I do not look at lanes. Sometimes the winner comes from the inner lanes or those on the outside."

According to her, the problems in the Jamaican camp, the adverse analytical findings from June's National Senior Championships for which five athletes have been cleared by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission's disciplinary panel and the training camp dispute which almost resulted in the booting of six MVP Track Club athletes from the meet have had no effect on her preparations.

"I just do not follow it. People will be talking and I just block my ear, hold my head up and just walk straight. I don't get caught up with it," the 2007 Pan American Games champion said.

The preliminary rounds of the women's sprint hurdles start on Tuesday.