Courtesy Art U Sports Information
KAZAN, Russia – The dream has become a
reality. Vashti Thomas is a gold medalist.
After a magical season in which she helped guide Academy of Art
University to a pair of NCAA II National Championships, Thomas
captured the first gold medal of her professional career in the
100m hurdles at the 2013 World University Games. She did so in
spectacular fashion, breaking both a WUG record as well as the new
NCAA Division II record in the process.
“It's so amazing,” Thomas exclaimed afterward.
“I'm so excited and happy. This is definitely the number one
moment in my career so far. To have accomplished something like
this on a world stage is amazing, but this is just the
beginning.”
The 27th World University Games were held July 6-17 in Kazan,
Russia.
Thomas went a wind-legal 12.61 in the 1000-meter
hurdle finals, approximately two hours after her opening round
race, to earn gold for Team USA. She bested Belarus' Alina Talay
(12.78) and Jamaica's Danielle Williams (12.84), the hurdler from
Johnson C. Smith whom Thomas faced in the finals of the 100H at the
NCAA DII National Championships.
“My mindset was just to stay focused and execute my
race,” Thomas said.
“I'm not really sure what to say," ART U Head Coach
Charles Ryan said. "'Proud' just isn't a big enough word and
honored doesn't do it justice either. I just hope people understand
what they are watching. Vashti is a future world superstar in
athletics. Athletics, known as track & field to us here in
America, is only trumped by soccer on the world stage of sports,
and Vashti has the ability to one day dominate that stage. She is
so gifted; such a special athlete and person. I don't think I've
ever literally screamed at a computer screen before, but watching
her win her first world title is a moment I will never
forget.”
The World University Games 100H record she broke, 12.62, was
originally set by Lucyana Langer of Poland in 1979. By NCAA DII
standards, Thomas' 12.61 mark gave her the all-time record as it
topped the 12.69 posted by Danielle Williams at the Jamaica
National Trials. It put Thomas fifth on the all-time,
all-collegiate list and moved her up to seventh overall on the
IAAF World List.
“What a moment. It's amazing how in this sport so many
things can change in just 12 seconds,” Ryan said.
“Academy of Art University has a world title in athletics
attached to its name. ART U already is known and respected
around the world for the amazing work of our students. Fashion and
design, fine art, etc.; the world knows who we are for those
amazing things. Now the world will know that the artist-athlete has
no limits either. One of the best things about Vashti is that she
is well aware of what her success represents and is proud of it.
When she crossed the line as the WUG champion and new record
holder, it was the Circle A that she flashed for the camera. She
continues to represent us all and the work we're doing here so
well. It makes me smile every time.”
Leading up to the 100H finals, Thomas won her first round heat
by a considerable margin. She posted a 12.87 which put her in front
of second-place finisher Anna Plotnitsyna (Ukraine) by more than
0.2 seconds and got her into the final, the penultimate medal round
of the day's events in Central Stadium.
Earlier in the week, Thomas also competed in the WUG long jump
where she faced off against several top jumpers from Russia
including Daria Klishina and Elena Sokolova. Thomas offered a
19-8.75 as her best of two attempts.
As a budding track and field star making her debut on the Fourth
of July, Thomas also was in action in the 100H at the IAAF
Diamond League meet in Lausanne, Switzerland. She held her own
against the likes of Olympic Gold Medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson and
Olympic Bronze Medalist Kellie Wells, going 12.89 in the
competition.