Ottey at yesterday's press conference. SPRINT queen Merlene Ottey has promised a scintillating return to the track. The former world 200m champion, who was cleared of any doping offence by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) on Monday, cannot wait to match strides with her rivals to prove her worth once again.
"I have not been competing for a year and I do not know what to expect. But I hope to run faster than ever, below my personal best of 10.74 (seconds)," Ottey told a wire agency yesterday.
Ottey, now 40, has been competing at the highest level for two decades and won two silver medals in the sprints at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Sydney is expected to mark her last major competition.
Asked whether she could get another Olympic medal, she said: "It's possible."
Ottey was banned after testing positive for the steroid nandrolone last July.
She denied ever knowingly taking the drug and an IAAF arbitration panel ruled on Monday that "there were not the grounds to maintain her suspension from competition", ending it with immediate effect.
Ottey once again emphasised how the agonising wait affected preparations for her return to competition.
"I was under stress because of the case and was not training a 100 per cent ... but I am not worried about the time limit, I have nothing to lose and everything to gain," she said.
She said she would let her manager look at the possibility of getting damages for the suspension, saying her mind was now on training.
"I'm very relieved it is finally over after one year of total stress. I need to mentally and physically prepare. I do not think I will be in such good shape for my first run but I think I will be ready for the Olympics," she said.
Ottey will attend the Jamaican Olympic trials on July 21 and 22 where she said she expected to finish in the top three.
"I am very satisfied with training here (in Slovenia) and with the warm weather," Ottey said. She is training with her Slovenian coach Srdjan Djordjevic in Ljubljana.
The veteran sprinter, in a brief statement released during a press conference later in the day, expressed thanks for the support she had received.
"It has been one year of stress, but thankfully it's finally over ... we won," she said.
"Many, many thanks to all the fans for your support and confidence in me. I am very happy that I will be racing soon, hopefully my presence and results will continue to thrill you."
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