LONDON – With five days remaining before he faces the starter in the opening rounds of the men’s 110 metres hurdles at the London 2012 Olympic Games, former world champion Ryan Brathwaite is determined to get back on top.
In a recent interview after training at the warm-up track here at the Olympic Stadium, Brathwaite said he was not feeling added pressure by carrying most of the medal hopes of the six-man Barbados team.
“All I can do is go with supporters and who know the sport and not really worry about what others say,” he said.
“I am only one person. I travel with a whole group of athletes. I am not the only person who is competing. There are other athletes and we have to give the other athletes support too.
“Anything can happen in any race. All [I] have to do is just keep working hard and try to show the world that I am the best.”
Brathwaite was very relaxed and appeared to be in very high spirits, sharing a laugh with his training partners, who included American Justin Gatlin, the former 100 metres Olympic champion and former European champion Churandy Martina of The Netherlands. It wasn’t a distraction from training, however, because he was very focused during his runs.
