Barnett Doubles His Gold In Sprints

30/06/2009 01:15

Edmonton runner wins 100-and 200-metres at nationals

Brian Barnett has never received any advice from the legends of Canadian sprinting. They are his friends, though, in a matter of speaking.

"I have Bruny Surin and Donovan Bailey on Facebook, actually," Barnett said Sunday.

Perhaps now he has earned a sit-down. The 22-year-old Edmonton native won the men's 100-and 200-metre races this weekend at the Canadian Track and Field Championships, becoming the first sprinter since Nicolas Macrozonaris in 2003 to win both events.

The 2006 world junior silver medallist in the 200 metres won the 100 metres in 10.28 seconds on Saturday. But Sunday's triumph in the 200 metres was likely the more satisfying win, as it was something of a surprise.

Barnett edged Charlottetown's Jared Connaughton, who finished 14th in the Olympics last summer. Barnett clocked in at 20.71 seconds, .07 seconds ahead of Connaughton.

"That was my goal at the beginning of the year, to run the(100 and 200 metres) here and win them both," Barnett said. "I came and did it. I'm pretty happy with myself."

Still, neither of his times was good enough to meet the qualifying standards for the world championships, which go in mid-August in Berlin --although, by virtue of being on the 100-metre relay team, he will be able to race.

That team, which will feature Barnett, Connaughton, and likely Toronto's Anson Henry and Montreal's Hank Palmer, might be one of Canada's better chances for a medal at the event.

"I say that even this year if we all bring our best in Berlin, there's no reason why we don't medal," Barnett said. "Some of the past teams that have medalled, a come-third kind of thing, were some guys running 10.1 and a bunch of 10.3 guys. It's all about the handoffs. We have the leg speed already. It's just about getting those handoffs bang-on during the day."

It could be quite the humble Canadian contingent, however, in Berlin. Only hurdlers Perdita Felicien and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, who finished first and second, respectively, in the women's 100-metre hurdles on Saturday, and shot putter Dylan Armstrong and hammer thrower Sultana Frizell have reached the standards needed to qualify for the event.

SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:

I wonder what’s next for Edmonton sprinter Brian Barnett? I don’t think Vancouver 2010 is in the cards.