Thaindian News

St. John’s (Antigua) Dec 30 (IANS/CMC) Sprinter Daniel Bailey has said that he wanted to at least go a step further and collect a medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.

The sprint star finished fourth in the men’s 100 metres at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, earlier this year - the best ever by an Antiguan, reports Xinhua.

He said in an interview with the daily Antigua Observer that his aim would be a podium finish in London.

“My aim is to win an Olympic medal, could be silver, bronze or gold, it doesn’t really matter” he told the newspaper.

“As long as I have one of those titles under my name, I think everything should be where it is supposed to be.

“And as long as I stay in the top five or top four or three in the World, that’s going to be added motivation for me as well.”

Bailey is set to test himself at the World Indoor Championships March 9-11 in Istanbul, Turkey.

One thing disappointed Bailey this year however - and it had nothing to do with his accomplishments on the track.

Bailey said several promises for financial and other forms of assistance from the government and the private sector made following his achievement at the World Championships did not materialise.

“I haven’t gotten everything, to tell you the truth, and I was actually planning that after the 2012 season, I am going to come home and go to them in person and ask them ‘what’s going on with some of these stuff you guys promised me’,” he asked.

He said: “The country has a world-class athlete. You should say to yourself that we have this athlete and I think we should do whatever, but I am not going to do that.

“I have been doing it for myself for the past six or seven years. I am going to stick to that and I am not going to anybody for anything or ask anybody for anything.”

Bailey is now ranked eighth in the World in the 100 metres and also finished the last season with a personal best.

–IANS/CMC
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