Jessica Lewis may be soft-spoken but she is making all the right noises ahead of her pursuit of a podium finish at this month’s World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

The 22-year-old became the golden girl of Bermuda sport last summer when she stormed to victory in the T53 100 metres final in a record time of 17.16sec at the Parapan Am Games in Toronto.

That scintillating performance has further reinforced Lewis’s quiet but steely confidence, with the Brock University student firmly believing a top-three finish in Doha is well within her grasp.

“I’m definitely feeling confident in the 100 and I’m hoping for another medal,” said Lewis, who will also compete in the 200, 400 and 800.

“I know it’s going to be a lot tougher than Parapan Am as all of the top sprinters in the world will be there. I’m ranked third in the world so it’s going to be interesting to see where I stand.”

Rather than bask in her new-found limelight, Lewis has returned to training with renewed vigour, often training twice a day with her long-time coach Ken Thom.

She said she had been focusing on developing her endurance as she looks to improve at her weaker longer distances ahead of the championships, which run from October 21 to 31.

Australia’s Angela Ballard, 33, will be the favourite for the gold medal in Doha as the top-ranked women’s T53 100 metres sprinter in the world. She has competed at four Paralympics, winning three silver and a bronze.

“I haven’t really taken much of a break since Parapan Am as the Worlds are so close,” said Lewis, who finished eighth in the 100 at the 2013 World Championships in Lyon.

“I’ve been training hard with double sessions some days. I’ll probably start tapering off next week.

“I’m definitely feeling stronger and we’ve been working on improving my endurance as well as making sure I’m still quick off the line.”

Lewis’s gold-medal win in Toronto — Bermuda’s first at a major international competition — has helped her breakthrough into the consciousness of even the most casual of sports fans on the Island.

The former Bermuda High School pupil, who has almost single-handedly kick-started the Paralympic movement on the Island, was greeted at the LF Wade International Airport by friends, family and the local media on her return from Toronto.

A special fundraiser was then held in her honour at Red Steakhouse and Bar on Front Street to help cover the costs of competing at the World Championships.

“It’s awesome that people in Bermuda are becoming more interested in para-sport,” said Lewis, who was introduced to adaptive sport at WindReach Bermuda in Warwick.

“I’m not doing this recreationally, this is something I take seriously and really want to do well in. If I can inspire more para-athletes that will be great.”

About 1,400 athletes from 100 countries will compete in Doha in the final major international event ahead of next year’s Paralympic Games in Rio, which will run from September 7 to 18.

“The conditions will certainly be different in Doha from Toronto,” said Lewis, who has already qualified for Rio.

“I think I will have a slight advantage coming from Bermuda, though, as I’m already used to the heat.”