Rival offers Pearson friendly advice

ENGLISH rival Tiffany Porter says Sally Pearson must trust in her coach – the Gold Coast star herself – in her improvised preparation to defend her Commonwealth 100m hurdles title despite achilles soreness.

Pearson had a hurdles session late on Saturday, her first since an encouraging 100mflat leg in an Australian 4x100m relay team on Wednesday and she will enter the Games village today.

“So far, so good,’’ said Pearson’s manager Robert Joske when asked how her right achilles tendon had reacted to the training.

Porter, 30, was the 100m hurdles silver medallist behind gold medallist Pearson at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and was a finalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which the Gold Coaster had to miss because of a hamstring injury.

Asked how she would feel if, like Pearson, she had to go into the Gold Coast Games without a hurdles race in five weeks, Porter said: “Everyone’s preparation is different.

“We each know what works for ourselves.

“It’s best to stick to your plan and trust your coach. No one ever goes out there to lose. I’ll look to put on a good show.’’

Athletics Australia head coach Craig Hilliard said Pearson is completing her training sessions on a “modified training load’’ in a bid to contest both the 100m hurdles and 4x100 relay events at the Gold Coast Games.