Bennett wants sub 13 clocking

Orlando Bennett, the Calabar High School 110m hurdler, said he is looking to dip below 13 seconds at the World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, next week.

Bennett ran a personal best time of 13.00 seconds at the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships two weeks ago, behind Louisiana State University student-athlete Damion Thomas, who equalled the World Under-20 record at 12.99 seconds.

The high schooler believes the competition at the Championships will propel him to the coveted mark.

"I want to go below 13 seconds and I think I can do that with the competitions I will be getting," Bennett said.

I went out there (National Championship) saying that I had to get a personal best, and I thank God I got it. I am really surprised to get 13.00 seconds, coming from 13.33," Bennett said.

His 13 flat performance bumped his teammate and star hurdler De'Jour Russell off the team, as he was forced into third position at the National Championship.

"De'Jour is an exceptional athlete, and I really wanted both of us to go to World Juniors and dominate the world like we did at Champs, but it just didn't happen," Bennett explained.

Russell has the third fastest time in the world behind Thomas and Bennett, with his 13.10 performance at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletic Championship in March.

Bennett and Thomas left the island yesterday for the championships, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday.