Nectaly Barbosa makes junior team with second place finish in 1500m...

Every so often, paulmerca.blogspot.com will miss something...well, we blew it on this one!

Barbosa (left/photo courtesy Arizona State University), a 2008 All-American at Arizona State University from Prosser in the outdoor 800m run last week at the NCAA Championships, advancing to the semifinals, was the meet leader after the preliminary run of the 1,500m event, clocking in at 3:50.92 to advance to the finals in Columbus, Ohio.

In the final, Barbosa clocked a time of 3:49.44 to place second and earn a spot on the Team USA roster for the world junior championships in Poland next month, joining Washington State freshman Jeshua Anderson.

Barbosa has a personal best in the 1500 of 3:45.49, set in March at the ASU Invitational, well under the 3:48.00 IAAF standard.

During his high school career at Prosser, he earned All-America honors in the 800m in both 2006 and 2007. He was ranked in the national Top 10 in the 800m, 1,500m and mile events as a senior. Barbosa won state titles in the 800m as a sophomore and junior and was state champion in the 1,600m run as a sophomore.

NOTE: The sports information office at Arizona State University contributed to this report.