July 20, 2002

Kingston, Jamaica – The South Carolina track team was well represented tonight on Team USA’s semi-final 4x400m relays, with Jon Fortenberry running the anchor leg of the USA’s relay, which ran the fourth fastest junior time ever.

Team USA’s men’s 4x400m relay ran a time of 3:03.56 – the fastest time in the world this year by a junior relay. Fortenberry, who ran a 46.2 split, was joined by Gamecock signees Kenneth Ferguson (45.5) who ran the lead-off leg and Bershawn Jackson (45.7) who ran the third leg. All three should be on the 4x400m relay final team tomorrow night.

On the women’s side, USC’s Lashinda Demus ran the anchor leg of the women’s 4x400m relay which ran a 3:35.84. She will run the anchor leg tomorrow night and maybe joined by teammate Tiffany Ross.

Signee Kenneth Ferguson won his heat of the 110m hurdles to make tomorrow nights finals. Ferguson ran a 14.01 to win his heat and enters the race seeded No. 4. He won the silver medal in the 400m hurdles last night and becomes the second male in World Junior history to make the finals both the 110m and 400mm hurdles races.

“I wanted to win my heat and get a good lane in the finals,” said Ferguson, a native of Detroit, Mich. “I have some things to improve in the finals. This is only my fourth race over the 42 inch hurdles.”

Tiffany Ross, recovering from a hamstring injury, was fourth in her heat at 13.75 and finished 10th overall.

“I’m disppointed I didn’t make the finals but my leg isn’t ready to sprint and run short hurdles yet,” said Ross.