Antiguan 100m specialist Daniel Bailey continues to make news. Having placed fourth in the 100m final at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany on August 16, he was rewarded by the government of Antigua and Barbuda with half-an-acre of land and the appointment as a sporting ambassador, which carries the title of 'Your Excellency.'
In Berlin, the 22-yr-old Bailey, who is the first athlete from Antigua and Barbuda to reach a World (senior) Championships final, entered the race as a medal favorite and clocked 9.93 secs, 0.02 secs outside his own national record, to finish behind world record holder, Jamaican Usain Bolt (9.58), American Tyson Gay (9.71) and Jamaica's former world record holder Asafa Powell (9.84).
It was in July this year that the new Caribbean star ran 9.91 secs at the Paris Golden League meeting to erase his Antigua and Barbuda national record.
Bailey learned of his reward on his return to Antigua during an elaborate welcome-home ceremony at the VC Bird International Airport and a recognition ceremony at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium
For more about young Bailey’s rise to fame, read our June highlight:
Dangerous Daniel.