2013 World University Games Results: 100mH Finals | 100mH Round 1 | Long Jump | 4x100m Finals | 4x100m Round 1
2013 IAAF Diamond League - Lausanne Results: 100mH

WUG Medal Ceremony Photo Gallery

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 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 afterwards. "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."


Thomas went a wind-legal 12.61 in the 100mH 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 100mH 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 100mH record she broke, 12.62, was originally been 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 mark Danielle Williams had posted at the Jamaica National Trials. It put Thomas #5 on the all-time, all-collegiate list and moved her up to #7 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," Coach Ryan said. "Academy of Art University has a world title in athletics attached to its name. ART U is already known and respected around the world for the amazing work of our students. Fashion & 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 100mH 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.

Thomas also competed for Team USA in two rounds of the 4x100m relay alongside Aurieyall Scott, Jade Barber, and Tristie Johnson. In the opening round, the squad bested Russia's foursome with a 44.03 mark to get them into Friday's finals. There, the Americans secured a silver medal with 43.54 performance that topped Poland (43.81) while Ukraine (42.77) won gold.

Earlier in the week on Monday, Thomas also competed in the WUG long jump where 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 this past week on the Fourth of July, Thomas was also in action in the 100mH 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.

Looking ahead, Thomas has one more event during the World University Games: the 4x100m relay. She will take part in this event on Friday, July 12 at 6:45 PM MSK (7:45 AM PT). See preview for further details.