Stewart: 'I want to break discus world record'

TT PARALYMPIC gold medallist Akeem Stewart says he feels good and is ready to set more world records as he heads into the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships. The competition begins today in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and ends on November 15.

Stewart will compete in the men's discus and javelin throw events. Speaking with Newsday, he said, "I'm feeling really good going into this meet. I haven't had any major injuries or anything like that, so I think this championships should be good. Mentally, I feel really good."

He said while he hopes to medal, his main goal is to break the championship's discus world record of 63.66 metres set by Jeremy Campbell of the US in 2017.

This will be Stewart's second international meet for the year, as he competed in the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru in August. He set a Parapan world record of 63.70 metres to cop gold in the men's discus throw F64 final, and doubled his medal count by placing second in the men's javelin throw F64 final.

"Parapan was good. The weather was a little bit cold, which was a bit challenging. But at the end of the day, we went to compete, and that's what we did."

At the 2017 Para World Championships, in London, he placed fifth in the discus throw final, but won gold in the men's javelin throw F43 final, setting a world record of 57.61 metres. He also won the men's shot put F43 final and set a world record of 19.08m.

TT's Nyoshia Cain-Claxton will also compete in the championships in the women's 100m and 200m races.

The team arrived in Dubai on November 2.