2 months ago
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FOLLOWING THE conclusion of last weekend’s NCAA Division One Track and Field East and West preliminaries, many Jamaican athletes booked tickets to the NCAA Championships, scheduled to take place at Hayward Field in Eugene from June 11–14.
The most outstanding performances from the Jamaicans came in the East preliminary round at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, where Shenese Walker, Habibah Harris, and Shantae Foreman were the top qualifiers in their respective events.
Walker, formerly of Hydel High, clocked a personal-best 10.98 seconds in the semi-finals for Florida State University, making her the fastest among all female athletes.
Harris, the former St Elizabeth Technical High School sprint hurdler, recorded the top time of 12.80 seconds in the women’s 100m hurdles, competing for the University of Florida.
Former Excelsior and St Jago High jumper Foreman, now competing for Clemson University, was the best in the women’s triple jump after posting a distance of 14.01 metres.
Former Clarendon College quarter-miler Deijanae Oakley clocked 50.70 seconds for the University of Georgia to be second overall in the women’s 400 metres.
Other female qualifiers included Macheada Linton for Louisiana State University, fourth in the triple jump with 13.25; Adrienne Adams of Auburn, seventh in the discus with 55.09 metres; Oneika Wilson of Clemson, ninth in the 100m hurdles with 13.04; and Jamora Alves of St John’s University, 12th in the discus with 54.16.
Former Calabar jumper Luke Brown was the top qualifier among Jamaican men. Competing for the University of Kentucky, he registered a mark of 16.97 metres in the triple jump for third overall.
Trevor Gunzell of the University of Alabama was fifth in the shot put with 19.23 metres and also qualified for the discus, in 10th position, with a throw of 57.71.
Christopher Young, also of Alabama, was sixth in the discus with 59.19, while Jelani Gordon of Louisianna State Uniersity was eighth in the 100 metres in 10.02. Devonte Howell of the University of Tennessee was 10th overall with 10.05.
Former St Jago High hurdler Safia Hinds, representing Kansas State University, led the way among the qualifiers from the West preliminaries held at College Station, home of Texas Tech University. She posted 56.34 seconds in the women’s 400-metre hurdles for the third-best time in the event.
Shaquane Foote, representing San Diego State University, was sixth in the women’s 400 with a time of 51.29, while Joanne Reid, competing for the University of Arkansas, advanced in the event with the eighth-best time of 51.65.
In the 100m hurdles, Marissa Simpson of the University of Texas at El Paso was fourth with 12.90. Also advancing in the event were Tonie-Ann Forbes of Texas Tech University, ninth with 13.11, and Shania Myers of Arkansas, 12th with 13.15.
Another female qualifier was Aaliyah Foster of the University of Texas, who placed seventh in the long jump with 6.44 metres.
Thrower Ralford Mullings led the way among the men with his best discus throw of 67.21 for the University of Oklahoma, ranking him second overall. Racquil Brodrieck of the University of South Carolina was seventh with 59.64.
Others advancing included Shaemar Uter of Texas Tech, fifth in the 400 with 45.61; Demario Prince of Baylor University, eighth in the 110m hurdles in 13.39; and Safin Wills of Oregon, who was 11th in the long jump with 7.67 and 12th in the triple jump with 15.88.
Kobe Lawrence of Oregon closed out the Jamaican qualifiers, placing sixth in the shot put with 19.38.
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