Sally Pearson will hope to earn a third Commonwealth Games title at Gold Coast 2018 ©Getty Images

Sally Pearson has claimed she is not worried by the expectation on her at a home Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

The 31-year-old will head into the Games as the reigning world champion in the women’s 100 metres hurdles event.

Pearson was unveiled as the first ambassador for the Games in 2016, with the athlete having been one of the most recognisable local athletes.

The London 2012 Olympic champion also played a key role in the flag handover at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

She will also be among the Gold Coast 2018 Batonbearers in the build-up to the multi-sport event.

Having won back-to-back Commonwealth Games titles, as well as securing her second World Championship gold this year, expectations will be high on Pearson in front of a home crowd.

“I’m not too worried about the expectation, I’m really looking forward to it,” Pearson said.

“I think I sickly thrive off that excitement and that adrenalin.

“I use that energy and it helps me be the best athlete I can be on that track on that day.

“It is going to be very special, but hopefully not an overwhelming experience.

“There is going to be so much support, for an athlete, we have to look at it as more support than pressure.”

Pearson, who was among the nominees for this year’s World Athlete of the Year award, has been forced to battle back from injuries in recent years.

The hurdler suffered a broken wrist after falling awkwardly in a race in 2015, before being troubled by Achilles and hamstring injuries which ultimately ended her bid to defend her Olympic title at Rio 2016.

Sally Pearson sprinted to gold at the 2017 World Championships in London having overcome a spell of injury ©Getty Images
Sally Pearson sprinted to gold at the 2017 World Championships in London having overcome a spell of injury ©Getty Images

She stormed back to win gold at the World Athletics Championships in London earlier this year, but admitted the battle against injuries had been a difficult one.

“I didn’t think that I couldn’t, because I knew that I could if I really wanted to, but there were just times when I honestly didn’t want to get back,” Pearson said.

“I was worried about getting injured again.

“I was thinking how many times do I have to put my body through this hard work, this pain, and getting injured again would just destroy me.

“Did I want to put myself through that again?

“Obviously I did.”

The women’s 100m hurdles final will be held on April 13.

Athletics competition will take place between April 8 to 15 at the Games, concluding on the final day of the multi-sport event.