The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After ascending the medal dais at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics last year, Trevor Barry is hoping to soar on the podium again at the Olympic Games.

In his preparation for the trek to London, England, in July, Barry cleared 2.31 meters or 7-feet, 7-inches to tie for second with American world champion Jesse Williams at Samsung DL Golden Gala in Rome, Italy, last week Thursday.

Great Britain’s Robert Grabarz won the event with a leap of 2.33m (7-7 3/4), matching the best performance so far this year by American Ricky Robertson and Dimítrios Chondrokoúkis of Greece.

Barry’s feat has him pegged in a six-way tie behind the trio in the IAAF World Standings. It also surpassed the previous leading mark of 2.28m (7-5 3/4) that teenager Ryan Ingraham achieved right here in Nassau on May 12.

For Barry, who turns 29 on June 14, the performance could not have come at a better time against the field of competitors as he matched the A qualifying standards for the Olympics.

“The competition was identical to the world championships,” said Barry, who clinched the bronze in Daegu, South Korea, last year. “Hopefully it will be the same for the Olympics.”

When comparing the field of competitors he faced last year and at his latest meet, Barry said it shows his steady progression and he has developed a lot more confidence for the international scene.

“I still had a little bit of a problem with my approach, but my attempts at 2.31m (7-7) were all right,” he said. “My attempts at 2.35m (7-8 1/2) jump was a near miss, so it was a good indication of what I’m capable of jumping.”

Based on what he has done so far this year, having started out with a seventh place finish with the same height at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, in March, Barry said there’s no reason why he should not be a contender in London.

“I’m healthy and I continue to compete well,” he said. “I think my major focus is to try to get more repetitions at the higher bars in competition,” he said. “I need to be able to do that as I approach the Olympics.”

On the road to London, Barry will stop over in New York at the Adidas Grand Prix in Randalls Island before he comes home for the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ Scotiabank National Open Track and Field Championships at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium June 22-23.

When he comes home, Barry will renew his rivalry with Grand Bahamian Donald Thomas and will have the much anticipated showdown with Ingraham in what will be the highlight on the field at the Nationals.

“I look forward to the challenge,” Barry said. “I look forward to coming home and everybody jumping very well. I hope that everybody will get to push each other.”

While the Nationals is important, Barry said he’s looking forward to his appearance at the Olympics.

“If I can go there and jump to the best of my ability, I don’t see any reason why I should not get on the podium again,” he said. “I’m going to take it one step at a time. I just want to make it to the final and once I get in, I intend to let it all go.”

At this point in his season, Barry said everything is going very well and his training is right on par, so expect some big things for him the rest of the season.

NOTES: While Barry was performing in Europe, a few elite athletes were in the US competing at the Prefontaine Classic on Saturday. Heading the list was quarter-miler Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown.

Competing out of lane seven just behind Grand Bahamian Demetrius Pinder, Brown ended up third in a time of 45.24, but was moved up to second after Grenada’s world champion Kirani James was disqualified. Pinder finished sixth in 45.73.

American and Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt won in a time of 44.91.

Also in the men’s triple jump, Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands popped a leap of 16.99m (55-9) for fourth place. Americans Christian Taylor (17.62m or 57-9 3/4) and Will Clay (17.48m or 57-4 1/4) were first and second. Great Britain’s world champion Phillips Idowu was third with 17.05m (55-11 1/4).

And Bianca ‘BB’ Stuart turned in a fourth place finish as well in the women’s long jump with her mark of 6.66m (21-10 1/4). Great Britain’s Shara Proctor won with 6.84m (22-5 1/4), followed by Éloyse Lesueur of France with 6.83m (22-5) and American Janay DeLoach with 6.71m (22-0 1/4).