July 19, 2002

Kingston, Jamaica – If all goes as planned, today could be a banner for the Gamecock track and field team at the World Junior Championships with two athletes and two signees competing in the finals of the men’s and women’s 400m hurdles.

Rising sophomores Lashinda Demus (Palmdale, Calif.) and Tiffany Ross (Miami, Fla.) enter the finals of the women’s 400m hurdles seeded 1-2. The two, roommates and great friends off the track, have been in a dog fight all season in the 400m hurdles. Ross got the best of Demus at the SEC Championships, winning with an SEC record. But Demus came back to win the NCAA title with a World Junior record at 54.85. Ross was right on her heels, just .02 off the world junior mark herself, clocking a 55.22.

Ross is also competing in the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles tomorrow.

On the men’s side, Gamecock signees Bershawn Jackson (Miami, Fla.) and Kenneth Ferguson (Detroit, Mich.) enter their own 400m hurdles finals, also seeded 1-2. These two have also battled on and off this season in the intermediate hurdles, with Jackson getting the best of Ferguson at the USA June Championships in June.

Ferguson, who favors former NCAA great Terrence Trammell, will also run this morning in the first round of the 110m hurdles. Ferguson was the runner-up at the USA Junior meet.

Ross and Demus will team up probably team up with Monique Henderson and Sanya Richards as the USA attempts to break the world junior 4x400m relay on Sunday night.

Jackson will run with the USA’s 4x400m relay while Ferguson will probably run a leg of the prelims.