Olympics, Worlds For Edwards

Just weeks after establishing a new St Lucia National Record for men's High Jump, 24-year-old Darvin Edwards has book his ticket to the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea and, more importantly, to the Games of the XXX Olympiad next year in London, England. Assuming he continues to train with his present club, Belgrave Harriers, Darvin won't have to travel far.

Darvin achieved the B standard for the next two major global athletics competitions when he cleared 2.28m to win a British League Division One contest at Barnet Copthall on Saturday, 4 June. Two athletes cleared 1.90m on their first attempts but were unable to negotiate 1.95m; only one man, Darvin, had yet to attempt a height. It was time for grown men jumping.

The St Lucian champion started at 2.00m, and had first-time clearances at 2.15, 2.20 and 2.25 before entering uncharted territory at 2.28, one centimetre better than his previous personal-best. This time, Darvin needed two tries, but on that second try he soared over to set a new National Record and a new Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States record and to qualify for Worlds and Olympics.

With qualification and the record sealed, Darvin tried 2.31m, which is the A standard for Worlds and Olympics. He missed out on all three, but declared afterwards that he is "just doing the same thing." Asked about his goals for the year, Darvin admitted that by making the height for Worlds he had already achieved one, but added "I just really want to jump as high as I can this year.

"I feel good [about qualifying for Worlds and Olympics]" Darvin continued, "but feeling good that I have made it is not enough. I want to go there and be a competitor, not just go on holiday, so I'm telling myself now I have got to keep working hard." This year, the former CARIFTA champion should also be one of at least six athletes in St Lucia's team for the Pan Am Games.

As of this weekend, 2.28m is the 13th-best height on the planet and joint second-best in Central America and the Caribbean, behind only former Donald Thomas, the former World Champion from the Bahamas.