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Stewart seeking respect in 2007
Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson - file
By GORDON WILLIAMS, Contributor
AUBURN, Alabama
A double dose of confidence gained from collegiate indoor triumphs in the United States recently has sounded a clear warning that Kerron Stewart is set to emerge among Jamaica's elite female sprinters in time for the IAAF's World Championships in Athletics this summer.
More importantly, the former St. Jago High student said she is hoping to command respect she believes was denied her last year, even when she once held the fastest time in the world over 100 metres.
"I'm a very confident athlete. I'm not cocky, but I'm confident," she explained last weekend during the Tiger Track Classic, a meet hosted by Auburn University where she is a senior scheduled to graduate next month with a degree in education.
"What I did at the NCAAs, I just basically showed people that 'hey, I'm somebody to look out for'. You know, I didn't get the respect that I really deserved last year, but my mom always tells me that if you want respect you have to earn it and that's what I did."
Winnifred Carnegie's advice has inspired her 22-year-old daughter. Nearly a year ago she clocked 11:03 seconds, at that time the fastest in the 100 metres for 2006, to underline her intent. Last month, Stewart, running for her school, further turned the heads of track and field experts when she toppled the field in both the 60 and 200 metres at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Indoor Championships.
Impressive time
The latter race was run in an impressive time of 22.56 seconds, then the best in the world. She was named the U.S. Division I Women's Track Athlete of the Year. Yet Stewart would not publicly pinpoint where she felt slighted. When asked where exactly the disrespect came from, she was more cautious.
"I really wouldn't point out anybody or any country or nothing like that," she said, "but that's the feeling I get."
Now she is claiming she will not settle for anything less than securing a place on Jamaica's team to the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, despite the expected stiff competition expected at June's trials. Among her main rivals are Sherone Simpson, the world's best female sprinter in 2006, Olympic champion Veronica Campbell, Commonwealth Games champion Sherri-Ann Brooks and Aleen Bailey. A number of youngsters, who are less established at the senior level, are also expected to figure prominently in the sprints. Stewart is anticipating a gripping contest.
REALLY GOOD
"I know those girls are really good," she said referring to her countrywomen. "I am not expecting any mediocre performance (at the trials) because they're good girls. But, I mean, I'm a good athlete too. I'm looking for a really good showdown."
And while Stewart said she has respect for her rivals, she does not plan to settle for any minor placing.
"Listen, I am a competitor and I never step on the line to come second," she said. "If I step on the line to come second I wouldn't practise. I'm not putting myself behind nobody and I'm not putting my opponent on a pedestal either."
Last weekend, Stewart anchored her school's 4x100 metres relay team to victory and later ran a leg on Auburn's 4x400 team which placed third at the Hutsell-Rosen Track here. She did not race in the 100 or 200 metres on a sunny, but windy day when temperatures hovered in the mid-40s. Stewart said that despite minor soreness from training, her preparation is on target for the trials in Jamaica. She declined to say how fast she or the other women sprinters will run there, but she did predict that the competition will be exceptional.
"I'm not putting a time out there because I believe if I put a time out there I am limiting myself," she said. "But the crowd can expect great things."
Stewart is even more encouraged by the prospects that the World Championships should be contested more fairly than many top-class meets in recent times. Top names like American sprinters Justin Gatlin and Marion Jones have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs. Track and field is scrambling to regain its credibility.
"I just feel excited because for far too long we've been running clean, practising clean," she said of Jamaican athletes. "You know, people haven't got to see the real talent that Jamaica has (because their performances have often been overshadowed by drug cheats). It's a great feeling to see that we're on top right now."
Stewart believes that weeding out the cheats will also help her secure the recognition she believes she deserves.
"I like the sport and if they do crack down on (drugs) I would be really happy because that just puts me at a higher level," she said.
Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.
Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson - file
By GORDON WILLIAMS, Contributor
AUBURN, Alabama
A double dose of confidence gained from collegiate indoor triumphs in the United States recently has sounded a clear warning that Kerron Stewart is set to emerge among Jamaica's elite female sprinters in time for the IAAF's World Championships in Athletics this summer.
More importantly, the former St. Jago High student said she is hoping to command respect she believes was denied her last year, even when she once held the fastest time in the world over 100 metres.
"I'm a very confident athlete. I'm not cocky, but I'm confident," she explained last weekend during the Tiger Track Classic, a meet hosted by Auburn University where she is a senior scheduled to graduate next month with a degree in education.
"What I did at the NCAAs, I just basically showed people that 'hey, I'm somebody to look out for'. You know, I didn't get the respect that I really deserved last year, but my mom always tells me that if you want respect you have to earn it and that's what I did."
Winnifred Carnegie's advice has inspired her 22-year-old daughter. Nearly a year ago she clocked 11:03 seconds, at that time the fastest in the 100 metres for 2006, to underline her intent. Last month, Stewart, running for her school, further turned the heads of track and field experts when she toppled the field in both the 60 and 200 metres at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Indoor Championships.
Impressive time
The latter race was run in an impressive time of 22.56 seconds, then the best in the world. She was named the U.S. Division I Women's Track Athlete of the Year. Yet Stewart would not publicly pinpoint where she felt slighted. When asked where exactly the disrespect came from, she was more cautious.
"I really wouldn't point out anybody or any country or nothing like that," she said, "but that's the feeling I get."
Now she is claiming she will not settle for anything less than securing a place on Jamaica's team to the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, despite the expected stiff competition expected at June's trials. Among her main rivals are Sherone Simpson, the world's best female sprinter in 2006, Olympic champion Veronica Campbell, Commonwealth Games champion Sherri-Ann Brooks and Aleen Bailey. A number of youngsters, who are less established at the senior level, are also expected to figure prominently in the sprints. Stewart is anticipating a gripping contest.
REALLY GOOD
"I know those girls are really good," she said referring to her countrywomen. "I am not expecting any mediocre performance (at the trials) because they're good girls. But, I mean, I'm a good athlete too. I'm looking for a really good showdown."
And while Stewart said she has respect for her rivals, she does not plan to settle for any minor placing.
"Listen, I am a competitor and I never step on the line to come second," she said. "If I step on the line to come second I wouldn't practise. I'm not putting myself behind nobody and I'm not putting my opponent on a pedestal either."
Last weekend, Stewart anchored her school's 4x100 metres relay team to victory and later ran a leg on Auburn's 4x400 team which placed third at the Hutsell-Rosen Track here. She did not race in the 100 or 200 metres on a sunny, but windy day when temperatures hovered in the mid-40s. Stewart said that despite minor soreness from training, her preparation is on target for the trials in Jamaica. She declined to say how fast she or the other women sprinters will run there, but she did predict that the competition will be exceptional.
"I'm not putting a time out there because I believe if I put a time out there I am limiting myself," she said. "But the crowd can expect great things."
Stewart is even more encouraged by the prospects that the World Championships should be contested more fairly than many top-class meets in recent times. Top names like American sprinters Justin Gatlin and Marion Jones have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs. Track and field is scrambling to regain its credibility.
"I just feel excited because for far too long we've been running clean, practising clean," she said of Jamaican athletes. "You know, people haven't got to see the real talent that Jamaica has (because their performances have often been overshadowed by drug cheats). It's a great feeling to see that we're on top right now."
Stewart believes that weeding out the cheats will also help her secure the recognition she believes she deserves.
"I like the sport and if they do crack down on (drugs) I would be really happy because that just puts me at a higher level," she said.
Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.