Barnett a double sprint champ at track nationals
Last Updated: Sunday, June 28, 2009 | 7:19 PM ET
By Paul Gains CBC Sports
Brian Barnett, seen racing in 2008, is the first Canadian to win the 100- and 200-metre sprints in six years. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)After demonstrating his precocious sprinting talent two years ago when he reached the 2007 IAAF World Championships 200-metre semi-finals, Edmonton's Brian Barnett had a disappointing season last year.
By virtue of achieving the first Canadian championships 100- and 200-metre double in six years, it appears the 22-year-old is again on the verge of something big.
Following his 100-metre victory in 10.28 seconds into a strong headwind on Saturday, Barnett returned to Toronto's Varsity Stadium on Sunday to win his specialty on a wet track. He won in 20.71 seconds, 0.4 of a second slower than the personal best he ran in Osaka, Japan, two years ago.
"It was my goal at the beginning of the year to come here and win both the 100 metre and 200 metre and I did it," he said. "So I am pretty happy.
"For sure, last year was kind of a stumbling block, with a bit of fine tuning, it was a bit of a step back. So we decided to focus on the 100 metre this year because we know my top end is as good as the rest of the guys even if my start is not there yet."
Barnett had a mediocre start and chased defending champion Jared Connaughton around the bend. He collared him just before the finish line.
Barnett closer to 'A' standard in 100
Connaughton was timed in 20.78 seconds and was visibly angry with the finishing order, flinging his sunglasses to the track. Sam Effah finished third in 21.02 seconds.
Athletes have until July 24 to achieve the IAAF World Championship qualifying standards and Barnett is undecided as to which of the two events he will chase.
"Right now I am closer to making the 'A' standard in the 100 metre than in the 200 metre," he said. "The standard is 10.21 and I ran 10.28 into a negative wind yesterday. That would convert to a ten-teen [between one-10th and two-10ths of a second]. "
The 200-metre 'B' final was won by University of Sherbrooke student Ben Youssef Meite in 20.79 seconds.
Meite's performance, a personal best, was erased from the official results as he is a native of the Ivory Coast. He intends to become a Canadian citizen one day.
Nathan Brannen of Cambridge, Ont., dominated the men's 1,500. He followed the lethargic pace from near the front for most of the race, then attacked on the final bend.
His sprint finish saw him win the race in a time of three minutes 47.73 seconds, ahead of Justin Duncan of Toronto's Phoenix Athletics (3:48.63) with the defending champion Taylor Milne of Callendar, Ont., taking the bronze medal in 3:48.88.
"Slow and win, that's what I said yesterday," Brannen said, grinning.
Brannen told he may never run again
"I was starting to get boxed in along the back stretch but I felt really easy. So, even if I was down a bit with 100 to go, I would be fine. I could just wait, bide my time until something opened up."
A year ago, Brannen had back surgery and was told he may never run again. Defying the odds, he not only returned but made the Olympic team with days to spare. Now fully fit, he is enjoying his best year ever.
"My confidence is higher than ever," he said. "I feel good. Now I want to just get ready to run some personal records this summer…Just get in some good races and chase some Canadian records, hopefully."
In the women's 1,500, Malindi Elmore took the lead with a little over 400 metres remaining and ran away from rival Hilary Stellingwerf to claim her second Canadian championships.
She was also the 2004 1,500-metre champion.
"They all have pretty good kicks," Elmore said of her pursuers. "I made the move and saw on the Jumbotron and it was like, 'Oh yeah they are right there.' So I thought I would just push it as hard as I could and hang on. Coming down the last 10 metres, I thought, 'Don't mess up.'"
Elmore won gold in a time of 4:15.04. Stellingwerf, who hails from Sarnia, Ont., but lives in Lausanne, Switzerland, held on for second place in 4:16.67 with Nicole Edwards winning the bronze medal in 4:16.82.
Runners seeking 'A' standard in Europe
Elmore and Stellingwerf were to leave immediately for races in Europe. Both must achieve the standard of 4:06 to compete at next month's world championships in Berlin. Madrid, Lausanne and possibly Rome are on Elmore's itinerary, all offering chances to qualify.
Rob Watson of Speed River Track Club in Guelph, Ont., won the men's 3,000-metre steeplechase in 8:32.87 with the assistance of his training partner Alex Genest, and veteran Joel Bourgeois, who sacrificed his own performance by sharing the early pace-making duties.
The 22-year-old Colorado State University graduate has run a personal best this season of 8:27.09, which is under the world championship 'B' standard.
Because he won and has never been on a Canadian world championship or Olympic team, he may find himself on the team bound for Berlin as a "rising star." But that's up to a national team selection committee.
"I was going for the 'A' standard of 8:21," Watson said. "It didn't happen. I think pushing it early I gave myself enough of a buffer that if I blew up, it would not be until later in the race. I knew Alex would be coming because he is so talented. You have to take risks."
Like many of the top Canadian athletes competing at the championships, Watson leaves for Europe in the next few days seeking the 'A' standard.
