Derek Drouin continues to amaze.

The Indiana University student, and member of the Sarnia Athletics Southwest track and field club, crushed the field in the high jump at the Pan American Jr. track and field championships in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago yesterday.

His gold medal winning jump of 2.27m set a new personal best for him, bettering the 2.22m that was set earlier this year when he was competing as a freshman for Indiana University.

The 2.27 metre leap was the second highest jump (by one centimetre) for any junior athlete in the world this year. And, says his Sarnia ASW coach Joel Skinner, it was also one centimetre off the world, and Olympic B standard.

"He also tied the Pan Am Jr. meet record," adds Skinner. "That record was originally set by Javier Sotomayor, of Cuba, the current world record holder ... when you start equalling records set by Sotomayor, it's a pretty big deal."

Sotomayor went on to a spectacular high jumping career and is generally regarded as the greatest to ever compete in the sport.

Skinner has said before that he thinks the Canadian record of 2.35m is reachable for Drouin.

"This puts him in that range," says Skinner. "The only thing that surprises me is that it has happened this soon. I knew he could go this high, but I didn't expect it to happen yet."

Skinner says Drouin had sent him an email earlier this week saying he was doing very well in practice.

In a press release sent out by email by Indiana University, Indiana track and field director and head coach Ron Helmer said that Drouin continues to exceed expectations and that he has a very bright future in track and field.

"Just when we think Derek Drouin has reached the limit of what he can do as a freshman athlete, he adds a huge accomplishment to his resume," said Helmer.

"Winning the meet is a big accomplishment, but moving up to (2.27 metres) is a huge feat for him, and we look forward to him keeping up the hard work and putting up big numbers as a sophomore," added Helmer.

Drouin was the NCAA Indoor runner-up and took the Canadian Junior National title.

He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year.

He also won the NCAA Mideast Regional, the Drake Relays, the Jesse Owens Classic and the Billy Hayes Invitational.

Skinner also points out that Drouin, 19, is ranked 38th in the world, overall (regardless of age).

(Article by Dave Paul at the Observer)