MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (February 7, 2007) ? Former University of South Florida track & field athletes Damu Cherry and Kemel Thompson have each been ranked in the top five in the world for their respective hurdle events by Track & Field News magazine. Cherry holds a No. 3 ranking in the 100 hurdles, while Thompson carries a fifth overall rank in the 400 hurdles.
The January 2007 issue of the magazine, which details U.S. high school, collegiate and professional action, as well as comprehensive coverage of the World Championships and Olympics, provides preseason rankings for athletes in each track and field event based on past times/marks.
Thompson, a 1996 graduate of USF, garners his international ranking after achieving a best time in the 400 hurdles of 48.57 seconds twice last year. The Kingston, Jamaica, native also holds the distinction of being one of USF's two Olympic athletes, and the only one to compete in two Games. Thompson took part in both the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games where he finished in the top 30 in the 400 hurdles both times.
After graduating from USF, Thompson competed for the Jamaica National team for four years and finished ninth at the 1999 World Championships. After taking a break in 2001 to help rebound from a series of hamstring injuries, Thompson roared back into competition in 2003 and improved his personal best time to 48.05 seconds, becoming the second-fastest Jamaican hurdler behind legend Winthrop Graham. He holds the USF school record of 50.50 seconds in the 400 hurdles, set his senior year.
Cherry earns her world ranking in the 100 hurdles after finishing with a season best of 12.44 seconds last year. In the U.S. rankings, also compiled by the magazine, the Tampa native collects a second place nod, behind world No. 1, Michelle Perry.
Cherry, a 2000 graduate of USF, earned all-America honors as part of the Bulls' 4x100 relay team her senior year. The same squad finished eighth in the NCAA Championships that year and set the school mark in the outdoor relay at 44.37 seconds.
In addition, Cherry holds three individual school hurdle records, all set during her banner senior season. Her indoor times of 7.76 and 8.41 seconds in the 55 and 60 hurdles, as well as her outdoor time of 13.24 seconds in the 100 hurdles, still stand today.
The current USF track & field team will conclude its indoor season Sat., Feb. 17 and Sun., Feb. 18 at the BIG EAST Championships in Akron, Ohio. The men's & women's outdoor season will begin Sat., Mar. 3 at the UCF Invitational.
