No predictions but confident

"I think I can have the world record one day (9.77)," Martina, who reached the 100m quarter-finals at both the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 and last year's World Championships in Helsinki said.

"I just need to keep on with my practice. Practice is the key to success. We have had some very good sprinters at UTEP, and that was attractive to me coming here."

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) sophomore, who captured the South American Junior Championships 100m title in 2002 holds, personal bests of 10.10 for 100m and 20.32 for the 200m and he said he's putting in the hard work to improve on those times.

"I am working on the blocks, training hard," he said. "If everything goes well this Saturday, maybe I can break 10.0 again. But if I run 10.00 and the wind is legal, I will be happy."

Martina even surprised himself

Reflecting back on his major championships performances in Paris, Helsinki and Athens, Martina said competing with the big boys at such an early stage in his career wasn't something he thought would have come true so soon.

"Growing up, I was always playing sports. My parents said I was always walking around on my toes. But growing up, seeing all those meets, well, I wanted to be there.
 
"It is a dream that came true ... but I never thought it was a dream that would come true so soon."

Martina has another gear says coach Kitchens

At the weekend during the 79th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at the University of Texas' Mike Myers Stadium, Martina clocked 10.04sec to win the men's invitational 100m dash over Walter Dix of Florida State.

However, despite the time, UTEP coach Bob Kitchens, who specialises in sprinting events believes his new super-star has room for improvement.

"He's got at least another gear," said Kitchens. "There is a lot more to him. He is as good as any sprinter who has been here. And there have been some very good ones here."

Martina will next be in action during the 2006 UTEP Invitational, which is scheduled for this weekend.