HAVING made tremendous progress on his return from injuries last season, former World Under-18 110-metre hurdles champion De’Jour Russell says it is now time for him to deliver on the big stage this season.

Russell, 23, who has battled a series of hamstring injuries during his career, made his return to the track last season after a three-year absence, making the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles event at the National Championships in June.

The former Calabar standout — who is the training partner of reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment at the UWI Pelicans Track Club — told the Jamaica Observer that based on his training this season, he is feeling a lot more optimistic and is now ready to deliver on the promise that he showed during his high school career.

“I am feeling confident, more technically sound, and once I am feeling like this I am going to make God do the rest of the work,” said Russell. “I know that as long as I am confident and healthy I know that I am going to compete awesomely this season.”

“Training has been great. It is very competitive [with] the likes of Hansle Parchment beside me and Ordario Phillips, and I am always grateful to be training with an Olympic champion and Ordario Phillips who wants the best for himself and so it has been awesome,” Russell said.

The stoutly built athlete who has a personal best time of 13.32 seconds is scheduled to open his season at the Velocity Fest at the National Stadium on April 22.

Russell shared that he has not run a personal best time in more than five years and, therefore, believes that once he remains fit and healthy throughout the season then the possibility of him achieving the feat this year is great.

“I would describe last year as knocking on the door to see where I am and I think I made tremendous progress last year, and I cannot complain about last year because I was just happy that I got to run. I have been battling a lot of injuries and they have been hampering me from competing over the years,” he explained.

“I always have something special in store and as long as my body is healthy, I believe in myself and I believe in my coach — and with that, I never put limits on myself.

“As long as I am healthy I will be coming with something special because I am aiming very big for this year. I would love to achieve a personal best but I am trying to go way beyond that personal best, but I will just leave it there,” Russell stated.