Posted: March 30, 2006

Athletics: In '06, Barber Targeting Fast Times

By Bob Ramsak
© 2006 TRACK PROFILE Report, all rights reserved

Me'Lisa Barber, the recently-minted world indoor 60 meter champion, will top the slate in the women's 100 meter dash at May's Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, organizers announced.

Having won the only major title on offer to her this year, the 25-year-old Barber, the reigning U.S. champion in the 100, has her sights set on fast times in 2006.

"My goals for this season are to stay injury free and to run under 11 seconds in the 100m and run 22.20 and below in the 200m," said Barber, who has personal bests of 11.04 and 22.37, both set last year.

Tendonitis in both knees limited her post-US nationals training in 2005, but she still managed fifth place finishes at both the World Championships in Helsinki and at the World Athletics Final.

"I feel these goals are very attainable as long as I stay positive and healthy."

She began 2006 with a 7.18 best at 60 meters; by season's end she improved to 7.01 in a thrilling World Indoor Championships final, the seventh fastest time ever indoors. There she narrowly edged compatriot Lauryn Williams, the world 100 meter champion, who was credited with the same time.

If she's looking for clear targets, the May 30 meet in Ostrava, the only eastern European stop on the IAAF World Athletics Tour, provides a tangible one: to become just the second woman to dip unde 11 seconds in the Czech Republic. The first was East German Marlies Gohr, who clocked 10.95 in Prague in 1984. At the 1973 Ostrava meet, Renate Stecher, also of East Germany, set a world record on 10.9, but the performance was manually time. Last year, Ivet Lalova of Bulgaria won in 11.03, a notable performance considering the cold and rainy conditions.

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