Sally in train for Games

World champion thriving without her coach

SALLY Pearson has confirmed she will continue to be her own coach going into the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast next year.

In the wake of her world championships victory in the 100m hurdles, Pearson said she would stick to what was working for her.

She proved she has a future in coaching after her career by training herself for one of the great sporting comebacks.

“For me, coaching myself has been a wonderful journey and I want to continue that in the future,” the 30-year-old said.

Pearson decided a year ago to coach herself as she returned to the track from a potentially career-threatening hamstring injury which cost her a place at a third Olympic Games in Rio.

The success of own program was evident when she completed an emotional comeback to claim gold in the 100m hurdles at the IAAF World Championships in London last month.

“That was the plan when I started out coaching myself last year,” she said.

“I kept an open mind and said if it doesn’t work out then I can always find someone who can help.

“But it’s worked well. At the same time I have a very open mind and if it does happen, I will be comfortable with it, but at the moment it’s purely me.”

Pearson was in Sydney yesterday at the announcement of a multi-million-dollar, threeyear deal between Athletics Australia, Little Athletics and Coles.

She said athletics was in a good place in Australia.

“I think we are in a really good spot. The team that went to the world championships this year was very exciting,” she said, praising the likes of young sprinters Ella Nelson, Riley Day and Ella Connolly

“We are a very young team at the moment and that sits well going into the Commonwealth Games.

“I think we are going to see a lot of new stars born at the Commonwealth Games and beyond going into Tokyo.”