Bailey backs herself for World Champs

André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

Despite being fully aware that she will have to do battle with some of the fastest women on the planet for a place in Jamaica's IAAF World Championships in Athletics team next summer, veteran sprinter Aleen Bailey is fully confident of her chances of making the cut.

With sprint Queen Veronica Campbell-Brown and a high-calibre cast of female speedsters Shelly-Ann Fraser, Kerron Stewart and a revitalised Sherone Simpson all expected to feature prominently at the trials next year, not a lot of pundits would have carved the St Mary native's name on the team sheet.

However, the 29-year-old, while gladly accepting the underdog title, is certainly backing herself to rise above the challenges and has little doubt in her abilities to book a space on the flight to Daegu, South Korea.

Prove myself

"I'm very confident of my chances to make the team to the World Championships next year because I know myself and I know my abilities," Bailey affirmed. "It happens every year, I get doubted by some folks and I bounce back and prove myself so I'm not bothered or worried about it. As a matter of fact, I love being the underdog."

Bailey has won 4x100m relay gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, Germany. She has also won silver and bronze medals in the same event at the 2005 and 1999 World Championships in Helsinki and Seville, respectively.

She also made the final of the 100m at the 2004 Athens Olympics, finishing fifth, as well as the 2003 World Championships in Paris, where she ran 11.07 seconds on her way to sixth place, and the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, where she finished eight. The former Vere Technical athlete also finished fourth in the 200m final at the Athens Olympic Games and was sixth three years later at the World Championships in Osaka.

Seasoned campaigner

Bailey has competed at all, except one (2007) World Championships meet since 2001 in Edmonton, Canada, where she finished seventh in her 200m heat and failed to progress to the other round.

Now a seasoned campaigner, Bailey is looking to do what she has not been able to do all her life, lower her personal best below the 11-second mark.

"I most definitely intend to go below 11 seconds next season. I've been stuck on 11.04 seconds for the past couple of years, so I certainly want to go below that this year," said Bailey, before pointing out that she will be paying special attention to the last quarter of her race going into next season.

"My coach (Lance Brauman) and I got my start to be a little bit better, but now the last 20m of my race has been suffering so we will be working more on that. My hips have also been giving some problems so we have been doing some core work so that I'll be in the best condition," Bailey noted.