Track & field: Talley wins gold, silver

09:53 AM CDT on Sunday, August 2, 2009

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad & Tobago — On the biggest stage of his young career, North Texas freshman sprinter Keyth Talley capped off a the 2009 campaign by winning a gold medal in the 4x100-relay and finishing second in the 200-meter dash at the Pan American Junior Championships.

Keith Talley “I’m so happy for him because he’s such a great kid,” UNT coach Rick Watkins said. “He works so hard and it’s just great to see good things happen to good people.”

Talley is the first athlete in school history to medal at the Pan Am Junior Champioships.

The USA 4x100-relay team, of which Talley was the first leg, set a Pan American Championship record with a finish of 39.06. Joining him on the relay team was D’Angelo Cherry (Mississippi State), Trevante Rhodes (Texas) and Marcus Rowland (Auburn).

Only Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade prevented Talley from taking home two gold medals Saturday evening. Talley’s time of 20.78 in the 200-meter dash was his second-best time of the season but fell short of Ashmeade’s winning mark of 20.40.

Talley qualified for the finals of the 200-meter dash by finishing with the second fastest time in the prelims (21.13), behind Ashmeade (20.74).

“This year has really been a coming out party and he’s proven he’s not a fluke,” Watkins said of Talley. “He’s elevated himself to a new level. It’s not only good for him but it’s good for his teammates because they see the type of results you can accomplish if you put in the work. It’s just good for our entire program.”

Talley’s final credentials for 2009 include a Pan American Junior World Champion (4x100-relay), National Junior Champion (200-meter dash), Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year (Indoor and Outdoor), all-conference performer and competed at the NCAA Championships