Jarrett looking to prove worth

Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

DAEGU, South Korea:

After suffering a horror injury at National Senior Championships on her way to winning the women's long jump; and enduring a nervous wait to see if she had made the team to the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Jovanee Jarrett is now ready to make the most of her opportunity here in Daegu, South Korea.

Jarrett, who suffered a dislocation of her left arm while competing at trials in Kingston, also had to endure the uncertainty of her selection to the team, given the fact that she had only satisfied the IAAF's 'B' standard of 6.45m for the event and was not a certain pick.

With all of that now fully behind her and the effects of the injury a thing of the past, Jarrett, a former St Jago student, is hoping that she will be able to repay the faith shown in her by the JAAA selectors by at least improving on her performance at her last World Championships outing - in 2009 in Berlin - where she failed to make the final, placing seventh in qualifying with 6.43m.

Grateful for opportunity

"First, I must say that I'm very thankful for being a part of the Jamaican team because, having just obtained the B standard for Worlds, I was in a little doubt that I would get selected," Jarrett acknowledged.

"Now that I am here, my main objective is to make it to the top 12," said Jarrett. "At the last championships, I fell short by four spots and I'm hoping that this time around things will be much different."

She is, however, fully aware that her season best and perhaps her personal best of 6.75m may not be enough to meet her ambitions.

"An improved seasonal best or even a personal best will definitely put me in the top 12. I won't set a target mark because all that will do is to put more pressure on me. I want to go out there, be relaxed and just trust in my preparations," Jarrett said.

Jarrett, who trains alongside sprinter Kerron Stewart under the stewardship of Henry Rolle, made it clear that she is no longer interested in just making up the numbers, but is eager to impress this time around and take her performances to another level.

"I don't want to take this as an experience no more, I need to make it happen. As always, my goal is to make the finals and take it from there," she stated before underlining her confidence ahead of the competition.

"If I tell you that I'm not confident about the competition ahead I would be lying," Jarrett said. "I'm focused and ready for the jump-off, now is not the time to be in doubt, but to trust in yourself and make it happen. I'm not going to put pressure on myself, but I just want to go out there and qualify for the next round and build on that.

"I am prepared as much as I can be. It's just a matter of maintaining from here onwards. Not much more can be done at this stage, so mentally and physically, I'm ready for competition," she added.

Jarrett will soar into competition on Saturday's opening day of action.