Merlene Ottey - file
GOTEBORG, Sweden (AP)
Merlene Ottey is pretty certain she'll stick around at least another year, even though she's 46.
Still, she won't commit to running at the next European Championships in four years.
"See you next year. I will definitely continue," Ottey said, suggesting she may be planning to compete at next year's world championships in Osaka, Japan. "Seriously, if my body stays healthy I want to run next year.
"But whether it was my last race at European Championships, I can't say," she added.
The Jamaican-born sprinter, who has competed for Slovenia since 1999 and was making her European Championships debut, finished fifth in the 100 semi-finals yesterday, missing a spot in the final by an aggravating .03 seconds. She was in contention until the final 10 meters, where she suddenly faded. Only the top four advanced.
Joice Maduaka of Britain won the semi-finals in 11.32, with Irina Khabarova of Russia next in 11.33 and Sylviane Felix of France third in 11.38.
Daria Onysko of Poland edged Ottey in 11.41 for the final qualifying berth.
"I gave everything I had. I ran at 110 per cent," Ottey said. "But I lack training. You saw I was pushing at the end, that is the sign that I still can run with the younger runners.
"I needed maybe one more month of training and then I would've made the finals. I was able to achieve 11.40 after only a short period of training. If I can train more and stay healthy, I can run faster times."
More training needed
Ottey skipped the 200, saying she needed more training.
"I had a lot of problems with a back injury and had way too little time to prepare. Next year I'll get a head start," she said.
That Ottey is reluctant to leave the sport isn't surprising.
Athletics enabled her to leave her poor upbringing in Hanover, Jamaica, and travel the world, competing against the sport's best.
It was her mother who introduced her to the sport, buying her a track and field manual as a present. In her early school years in the 1970s, Ottey often ran barefooted in local races.
The beginning
Her athletics career took off when she emigrated to the United States and joined the University of Nebraska's track team in 1979.
She emerged on the international scene in 1980, when she first competed for Jamaica at the Olympics in Moscow, taking the bronze medal in the 200. She also helped the Jamaican 400-meter relay team take bronze there, earning the first athletics medals for the country's women at a Summer Games.
Throughout her career, Ottey has collected eight Olympic medals - three silver and five bronze - the most by any woman in athletics history. However, she is still missing Olympic gold.
Even though she spent most of her time away from her homeland and is now running under another flag, she is well-loved by Jamaicans. In 1993, Jamaica appointed her a roving ambassador, and 15 times between 1979 and 1997 she was the country's Sportswoman of the Year.
Last December, a statue of Ottey was unveiled in Kingston's Independence Park.
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