The ‘Queen’ takes crown at Pan Am Games
Fred Jeter | 7/31/2015, 4:19 a.m.
Queen Harrison wears the Pan-American crown as champion of the 100-meter hurdles.
The former Hermitage High School (Class of 2006) and Virginia Tech (Class of 2010) athlete posted a record time of 12.52 seconds in capturing gold at the Pan-American Games in Toronto.
Despite the powerful showing, Harrison will not represent the United States at the World Championships Aug. 22-30 in Beijing, China.
Harrison placed fourth at the U.S. Championships in June; only the top three finishers advance to the Worlds.
In 2008, a then 19-year-old Harrison qualified for the Beijing Summer Olympics in the 400-meter hurdles.
Among those who are making plans for the World Championships is Canadian Andre De Grasse, a rising senior at the University of Southern California.
De Grasse won the 100 meters in 10.05 seconds and 200 meters in 19.88 seconds in Toronto, and will run the 100 meters and the 4x100 relay for Canada at the Worlds.
In China, De Grasse faces a likely showdown with two-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt of Jamaica and American Justin Gatlin, who has the fastest time — 9.74 seconds — in the world this year.
Neither Bolt not Gatlin competed in Toronto.
