JAVELIN star Goldie Sayers heads to the Commonwealth Games today with the message: I can win gold. Goldie, 26, flies to Australia for the Melbourne Games this week and is confident that her abilities will drive her to a gold medal. The Ely athlete said:

JAVELIN star Goldie Sayers heads to the Commonwealth Games today with the message: I can win gold.

Goldie, 26, flies to Australia for the Melbourne Games this week and is confident that her abilities will drive her to a gold medal.

The Ely athlete said: "I'll be going there looking for a medal but if I throw well I can win it.

It's just going to be about who's best on the day and whether I can get into competition mode."

Goldie came sixth in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester four years ago and is targeting better things this time.

"I'm more experienced now and physically I'm a different athlete," she said. "I know I can throw more than 60 metres, it's just proving it in competition.

"I might go all out in training but it's not the same as the atmosphere of the big events."

Goldie will compete in two warm-up events, at Brisbane on March 3 and Bendigo on March 12, before lining up in the Games on March 19.

Her cause will be helped by the absence of world number one Osleidys Menendez, of Cuba, but world number six Laverne Eve, of the Bahamas, will be in Melbourne.

"I know there's Laverne and a couple of other girls I'll have to watch out for," said Goldie. "I know people will be expecting me to come back with a medal but I'm not too fussed about the pressure as long as I perform well on the day."

Goldie will spend the lead-up to the Games acclimatising and getting used to the time difference. "It's just getting used to the time change really. It will be good to feel the sun on my back though.

"I'm flying out earlier than most of the other British athletes because I don't have an indoor season and that should give me enough time. I've done everything I can in training and it's just a question of performing when the big competition comes around."

Goldie is now recognised as the British number one for her sport after sustained injury-enforced absence of Kelly Morgan.

# Another Ely sports star competing in Melbourne will be bowler Ellen Falkner.

Ellen, 26, will be looking to add to the fours gold she won in Manchester in 2002.