Kerron Stewart

After missing all of last season due to a hamstring injury, Olympic joint silver-medallist Kerron Stewart opened her 2011 campaign with an 11.07 seconds clocking for fourth at the JN Jamaica International Invitational track and field meet at the National Stadium last Saturday night.

Stewart, though disappointed with not winning the event, which was captured by America's Carmelita Jeter (10.86), ahead of Trinidad and Tobago's Kelly Ann Baptiste (10.94) and Jamaica's Sherone Simpson (11.07), was very pleased with her first outing of the season.

performance

"I am pleased with my performance; obviously I wanted to win, but this is my first one and to run 11.07 that just speaks a lot," Stewart said. "I only put on spikes in March, so I am happy with my time," she added.

The 27-year-old attributes her late start to the season to her propensity to pick up injuries.

"Injury just follows me, so my coach said we are going to take it a lot slower this year and progress," Stewart disclosed.

"I have the strength, so I know speed will come, but I am surprised with my start here tonight," she added

Stewart is of the view that the worst has passed where her hamstring injury is concerned and is just looking to execute a full race in both the 100m and the 200m, which she believes will make her very hard to beat.

"I tore my hamstring, it was a big tear and I tried to come back last year but it didn't heal up properly, so I just had to take the season off," Stewart explained. "The thing about injuries is you have to get over that mental cycle first, and then you get going.

"This will just boost my confidence, because I now know that the injury is gone, so I am good. This is my first one, so the second one I know will be better, so times will come and speed will come," she added.

an ankle injury

Stewart captured the silver medal in the 100m at the 2009 World Championships, but did not run in the 200m finals due to an ankle injury. She, however, hopes to do the double this year once injury permits.

"It all depends on injury, that's my plan (to run both the 100m and 200m), but I still have to sit down with coach (Henry) Rolle and see what we are going to do, but for now I am going to double," Stewart, who intends to make her season debut in the 200m at the Diamond League meet in Rome on May 26th explained.