Barrett going for gold

St Jago's Timor Barrett, last year's bronze medal winner in the 400 metres hurdles open, is hoping to go sub-51 seconds at next week's ISSA-GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Championships.

Barrett, a semi-finalist in the event at the IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Poland last summer, has been in great form all season. He displayed that good form at the Carifta Trials, clocking 51.49 seconds to win the Under-20 event, and in the process, defeated last year's Champs winner, Juavaney James of St Elizabeth Technical, who was relegated to fifth in the event.

Both Barrett and his coach, Rhansomme Edwards, are very confident of going faster at Champs.

"Timor's performance at Carifta was a very good one, and he actually came to a stop at the fifth hurdle but recovered well to win and run a fast time and was just outside of his personal best, and I am very confident he can go under the 52 seconds barrier," Edwards said.

Barrett and his new coach now have a strong bond.

"I have had a good relationship so far with my coach, and he motivates me a lot, and he is just straightforward, and this helps me to stay focused and be motivated, and I am hoping that I can go all the way at Champs," he said.

- R.G.