Stewart aims to surprise

DAEGU, South Korea:

She has received her fair share of defeats on the circuit all season, but here at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Daegu, South Korea, Olympic and World 100m silver medallist Kerron Stewart is hoping to dish out some punishment of her own.

Stewart has looked good in 100m qualifying, winning her heat and progressing to the semi-final with an 11.12-second clocking, with a lot left in reserve and while there was some tightness in her leg at the end, the former St Jago High student is threatening to spring a surprise.

The Jamaican has not been given the kind of chance to win that the likes of Carmelita Jeter and Veronica Campbell-Brown have been given by pundits due to her campaign throughout the season and the injuries that have been bugging her in recent months.

Fitness regained

However, she has regained some degree of fitness and seems to have corrected what was the worst part of her race, the start.

"I ran six races this year and every one of them I was there, so I know my start is getting better, so I just have to stay with them and you know what, it may be a surprise," said Stewart, who expressed satisfaction with her preparations.

"I'm very pleased. Whatever I do on the track right now, I'm happy, because I know where I am coming from this season and I know that's now all behind me, so I'm just going to go out there to give it everything that I have," Stewart said.

"It's just a little tightness, it's nothing. As long as I can step on the track, I'm going to run, that's me," she added in reference to the injury.

Pain or not, the determined Jamaican is looking forward to giving it her best shot and is confident that she can figure in the mix when the 100m final comes around this morning at 7:45. Before that, she will, however, need to navigate her way through the semi-finals at 5:30 a.m.

" As always, I'm going out there to compete, I'm going to give everything and leave the results to God," said Stewart.