Former NJCAA All-American Wins 110m hurdles at World Championships

The world now knows Ryan Brathwaite. Before leaving for Berlin and the IAAF World Championships, Brathwaite, a sophomore for the Barton Community College track team last season, commented in an interview "I just want to get out there and show the world who I am." That he did and them some by winning the Gold Medal in the 110m high hurdles at the 12th annual event in one of the most exciting races of the entire week. Another Cougar from last season, Alonso Edward let the world know who he is as well, taking 2nd in the 200m men's final to track super star Usain Bolt - who broke yet another world record.

Two former Cougars made the finals of the women's 200m as the 2-time Olympic Gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown and Simone Facey each advanced to Friday's final. Another ex-Barton track star Laverne Jones-Ferrette just missed the finals with the 9th best semifinal time. Campbell and Facey will join Tabarie Henry - yet another member of the 2009 team - in finals competition Friday as Henry runs in the 400m finals for the men.

Men's 110m hurdles - Ryan Brathwaite

Brathwaite wasn't sure he had won the gold medal for nearly 5 minutes after the conclusion of the 110m hurdles. The photo finish was reviewed a pair of times before confirmation came that Brathwaite had won gold for Barbados. Brathwaite finished in a time of 13.13 to break the Barton school record once again as well as the national record for Barbados. Right behind him were Terrence Trammell and David Payne of the USA both at 13.15 - well ahead of the rest of the field.

Brathwaite, 21, had previously made the semifinals at the 2008 Olympics as well as the 2007 World Championships before busting through for the gold. That same semifinal round was not a problem earlier in the day for Brathwaite, as won the 2nd head in 13.18 - just ahead of Payne.

Brathwaite is not only the 1st athlete from Barbados to take gold at the World Championships, but the 1st to even medal.

Men's 200m - Alonso Edward, Steve Mullings

Edward was a battle for 2nd behind Bolt in front of a packed house of more than 70,000 at Olympic Stadium. Bolt once again shattered his own world record with a 19.19. But as more than 69,900 pairs of those eyes watched Bolt cross the finish line, a few eyes - including Barton Coach Matt Kane who is in Berlin coaching Brathwaite, Edward, and Henry - were focused on a pack of 3 runners for the silver medal.

Edward won that battle with a new Barton, Panamanian, and South American record time of 19.81, edging a pair of American's for the silver. Wallace Spearmon was 3rd in 19.85 and Shawn Crawford 4th in 19.89 as the 19-year burst onto the national scene. Crawford was the 2004 Olympic Gold medalist and took silver in the 08 Olympics to Bolt. Spearmon - the bronze medal winner- has now won a medal at the past 3 World Championships. Former Cougar Steve Mullings was just behind that group in 5th at 19.98.

Edward becomes the youngest ever to medal in the 200m at the world championships and also broke the world age-19 best with his 19.81. The previous best time run by a 19-year old was Bolt with a 19.88 in 2006.

Women's 200m - Veronica Campbell-Brown, Simone Facey, Laverne Jones-Ferrette

Two of the 3 former Cougars running in the women's 200m semifinals cruised into the finals with a 3rd just missing. Campbell eased her way to a 22.29 for 2nd in the opening heat to Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas who ran a 22.24. Those ended up being the two fastest times of the semifinals. Campbell - a 2-time Olympic Gold medal winner in the 200m - is looking for her 1st 200m Gold at the World Championships.

Facey will join her in the finals after placing 2nd in the 3rd and final heat in 22.58. Muna Lee won that heat with a 22.30. Jones took 3rd in the 2nd heat in 22.74. The top 2 in each heat moved on as well as the next 2 fastest times, unfortunately for Jones, she had the 3rd fastest of those times with a pair of 22.64's in the opening heat.

The finals will take place Friday night in Berlin. Campbell will start in lane 5 and Facey in lane 7.

Men's Long Jump - Clayton Latham

Latham competed in the men's long jump for St. Vincent but was unable to mark in his 3 attempts, ending his 1st World Championships.

Schedule

Henry will join Campbell and Facey running in finals Friday. He will be the 3rd member of the self dubbed "Great Bend Rolling Thunder Track Club" of Brathwaite, Edward, and Henry to compete in the finals. Henry will try to become the 3rd member of the club to garner a medal but will have his hands full in the 400m final.

Henry will run out of lane 7 in the finals and brings the 8th best time from the semifinals into the finals. But Henry has run a season best of 44.77, which would be the 4th best this year among the field of 8 in the finals.