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Two-time South African long jump champion Cheswill Johnson says he is excited about competing at the World Athletics Senior Championships starting on Saturday and continuing until 21 September.
Speaking to SABC Sport, Johnson said he is wiser and better prepared for the global stage and feels this could be the year he finally wins his first international medal in Japan.
He added that this season feels different, and he is more confident than ever about getting closer to the podium than in previous attempts.
The 27-year-old, who jumped 8.17m to win the Central Gauteng Athletics league meeting in January at his favourite Germiston Stadium, believes that if he can replicate that form at the world championships, he can secure a medal.
Johnson, who will also be wearing new spikes after his old pair tore earlier this season, says he is confident of delivering his best jumps on the global stage.
The University of Johannesburg student dismissed claims that long jump is a “dead event,” insisting that the discipline is slowly being revived.
He believes the future is bright despite a lack of recent international medals compared to the golden era of South African jumpers like Rushwahl Samai, Luvo Manyonga, Khotso Mokoena, and Zack Visser.
Johnson reflected on his experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, where he suffered an injury.
He says the lessons learned there will help him perform better this time around.
