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Speaking to SABC Sport, Johnson said he is wiser and better prepared for the global stage and feels this could be the year he finally wins his first international medal in Japan.
He added that this season feels different, and he is more confident than ever about getting closer to the podium than in previous attempts.
"I didn't do too much jumping this year, which helped me a lot for this year's preparation because my coach and I finally got around to fixing my run-up, because that was one of my main issues in past World Championships."
The 27-year-old, who jumped 8.17m to win the Central Gauteng Athletics league meeting in January at his favourite Germiston Stadium, believes that if he can replicate that form at the world championships, he can secure a medal.
Johnson, who will also be wearing new spikes after his old pair tore earlier this season, says he is confident of delivering his best jumps on the global stage.
The University of Johannesburg student dismissed claims that long jump is a “dead event,” insisting that the discipline is slowly being revived.
He believes the future is bright despite a lack of recent international medals compared to the golden era of South African jumpers like Rushwahl Samai, Luvo Manyonga, Khotso Mokoena, and Zack Visser.
Johnson reflected on his experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, where he suffered an injury.
He says the lessons learned there will help him perform better this time around.
"Tokyo was the place where I got injured, but I still managed to jump a 7.8m with an injured leg, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can produce this time around."
Issued on SABC Sport by Charles Baloyi | https://www.sabcsport.com/news/cheswill-johnson-eyes-podium-finish-at-the-world-championships
