ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

Daniel Bailey said he wanted to at least go a step further and collect a medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.

The sprint star finished fourth, the best ever finish by an Antiguan, in the men's 100 metres at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, earlier this year.

He said in an interview with the Antigua Observer newspaper that his aim would be to reach the podium in London.

"My aim is to win an Olympic medal, could be silver, bronze or gold," he told the newspaper. "It doesn't really matter to me.

"As long as I have one of those titles under my name, I think everything should be where it is supposed to be.

"And as long as I stay in the top five or top four or three in the world, that's going to be added motivation for me as well."

Bailey is set to test himself at the World Indoor Championships from March 9 to 11 in Istanbul, Turkey.

One thing disappointed Bailey this year however, and it had nothing to do with his accomplishments on the track.

Bailey said several promises for financial and other forms of assistance from the Government and the private sector made following his achievement at the World Championships did not materialise.

"I haven't gotten everything to tell you the truth and I was actually planning that after the 2012 season, I am going to come home and go to them in person and ask them 'what's going on with some of these stuff you guys promise me'," he told the Observer.

"Was that just a sham or letting the public (believe) you (are) doing something for Daniel Bailey and haven't pushed forward or stayed on it; but for now it's nothing.

"It's on the street now, but what can I say? I can't say anything about that. They promised me land, but I can't do anything about that."

Bailey said he had no immediate plans to pursue any of the outstanding pledges and will continue to make it on his own.

"I am not going to be hard on government or anybody at all," he said. "I have been doing this stuff on my own and I am not going to take myself up and go to the government and tell them this is what I need or I think you should do that."

He said: "The country has a world-class athlete. You should say to yourself that we have this athlete and I think we should do whatever, but I am not going to do that.

"I have been doing it for myself for the past six or seven years. I am going to stick to that and I am not going to anybody for anything or ask anybody for anything."

Bailey is now ranked eighth in the world in the 100m and also finished the last season with a personal best of 20.51 in the 200m.