Trevor Barron of USA (© Paul Reid)
Despite being the best placed American in a Word Championships race walking event in a decade, Trevor Barron is not certain he wants to take on the responsibility of being the new face of the sport in the United States.
Minutes after placing fourth in the boys 10,000m final on Friday, 16-year-old Barron said he was “a little disappointed for fourth place,” but pointed out “it is the best place for an American since 1999.”
Regardless of what he might not want Barron’s name is in the books now after he set the new American Junior record when he clocked 42:22.79, breaking Ben Shorey’s 42:50.20 set in 2002.
Coming into the meet Barron’s best time was 43:36.38 set earlier this year.
The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native has been race walking since he was introduced to the sport in 2002 after failing in several other disciplines.
He followed his older sister into track and while she had some success as a jumper/sprinter, he was not an immediate success and had to find another event.
Luckily he was introduced to race walking by a member of a local club and actually competed in his first meet the same day he was taught how to execute the moves.
He has also qualified for the Pan-American Juniors to be held in Trinidad and Tobago later this month but says after a long season he is not sure he would make the trip.
“It has been a long season” says the home schooled Barron, “I started training for race walking in late November.”
Paul Reid for the IAAF
