Sally Pearson eyeing relay event at Commonwealth Games

SALLY Pearson will throw her hat into the ring for the chance to race a second event at the Commonwealth Games if Australia opts to field a relay team on the Gold Coast.

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SALLY Pearson says she will happily throw her hat into the ring for the chance to race a second event at the Commonwealth Games if Australia fields a relay team on the Gold Coast.

Pearson said it would be a “thrill’’ to be able to perform in front of a home crowd in a second event other than her pet hurdles in which she is bidding to win her third successive Commonwealth Games gold.

“It would be fantastic,’’ Pearson said.

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“I haven’t done relays for a long time now. I think the last time we had a team was in 2011 at the world championships.

Sally Pearson before the 100m hurdles finals at the recent Queensland Open.

“There’s a lot of new girls, this time will be great, to get another chance to step out into the stadium in front of your home crowd is always a thrill. I’ll be looking forward to it if I get selected.’’

Pearson, who is self-coached, said she also plans to race in Sydney and Brisbane ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

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Pearson will travel to Monaco for the Laureus Awards where she is up against the likes of tennis great Roger Federer for Comeback of the Year following her extraordinary world crown in 2017 after a potentially career-ending injury.

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“I think I’m going to feel a little bit starstruck when I walk into the room and see all these amazing athletes,’’ she said.

“I guess that’s exactly where I want to be and I want to be able to thrive off those people’s excitement and their abilities and their achievements and just sort use it as motivation to go into the Commonwealth Games and obviously the World Indoors before that.’’

Sally Pearson is heading to the Laureus Awards in Monaco.

Pearson will contest the world indoors from March 1-4 in the UK before returning home.

“There’s a race in Sydney on the 17th of March, and I am at the moment, going to be racing that one, and the Brisbane meet on the 22nd, which is three weeks ahead of when I race at the Commonwealth Games,’’ she said.

“So, at this stage, yes, I am racing, but it does depend on how I pull up from the World Indoors and how my body is feeling because obviously everything is geared for the Commonwealth Games and making sure I’m fit and ready for that.’’

Pearson has also reiterated her desire to race on to the Tokyo Olympics.

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“I’d definitely love to train for Tokyo. I’ve always wanted to do three Olympics but obviously Rio cancelled it out for me,’’ Pearson said.

“It would be nice, all going well with my body, to be able to get to Tokyo and be at my best.

“Mentally we all think we’re a lot younger than what we are, so it’s just a matter of being able to tie that in with what your body wants and see what happens. But it would be great to be there.’’

Originally published as Sally Pearson eyeing relay event at Commonwealth Games