Walker leads 16 women into NCAA Champs

AT THE recent World Relays in China, veteran Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – two-time Olympic gold medallist and five-time World Champion over the 100m – said Jamaica’s female sprinting is in good hands. One of the athletes intent on being part of that legacy is Shenese Walker, the former St Jago and Hydel High sprinter.

Walker, now a junior at Florida State University, will lead 16 Jamaicans into today’s action at the NCAA Division One Championships at Hayward Field, University of Oregon, when the semi-finals take place. The men’s semi-finals took place yesterday.

The St Thomas native, who transferred from Lincoln University in Missouri to Florida State, will contest the 100 metres, aiming to advance to Saturday’s final. With a personal best of 10.98 seconds – clocked two weeks ago at the East Preliminary Round in Jacksonville, Florida – she is one of only three Jamaican women to have gone sub-11 seconds this season. She trails Tia Clayton (10.92) and is tied with Tina Clayton, who ran her time last weekend while winning at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston.

Walker will take the track in the first semi-final at 7:25 p.m., running out of lane five. The top two from each semi-final, along with the two fastest third places, will qualify for Saturday’s final.

Five Jamaicans will feature in the opening individual event – the 100-metre hurdles – at 7:08 p.m. Former Hydel athlete Oneika Wilson, representing Clemson University, and her former teammate Shania Myers of the University of Arkansas will contest semi-final two. Wilson, who qualified with a time of 13.04, will run in lane eight, while Myers, with 13.15, starts in lane nine.

EXCEPTIONAL FORM

Former St Elizabeth Technical High School hurdler Habibah Harris, who has been in exceptional form in her first year at the University of Florida, will lead three Jamaicans in semi-final three. Harris, with a best of 12.80, will run out of lane three. Former Clarendon College standout Marissa Simpson, representing the University of Texas at El Paso, qualified with 12.90 and will run in lane four. Tonie-Ann Forbes, a former Edwin Allen High athlete with a best of 13.11, will start in lane eight for Texas Tech University.

Three Jamaicans will compete in the 400-metre semi-finals, starting at 7:41 p.m., led by Dejaunea Oakley of the University of Georgia, the country’s second-fastest woman behind Nickisha Pryce this season.

The former Clarendon College standout, with a qualifying time of 50.70, will run out of lane seven in semi-final three.

Former Petersfield High quarter-miler Shaquane Foot will compete in semi-final two out of lane eight for San Diego State University with a time of 51.38. Joanna Reid, a former St Jago High athlete, will start in lane eight for the University of Arkansas with a best of 51.63.

In the 400m hurdles, three Jamaicans will be in action, led by former Holmwood Technical teammates Dyandra Gray and Calisha Taylor.

Gray, representing the University of Minnesota with a qualifying time of 56.86, will run in lane three in semi-final one. Taylor, with a best of 55.94, is drawn in lane five for Baylor University. Former St Jago High star Safhia Hinds, now at Kansas State University, will run out of lane seven with a best of 56.34.

The other Jamaican in action is Gabrielle Matthews, formerly of The Queen’s School. She will contest the 200m for the University of Florida, running out of lane nine in semi-final two.

One Jamaican will contest a field event final today – the women’s long jump at 9:40 p.m. Aaliyah Foster, the former Mount Alvernia High jumper with a best of 6.44 metres, will compete in Flight One for the University of Texas.

Two more Jamaicans will be in field event finals on Saturday, the final day of competition. Shantae Foreman of Clemson University – a former Excelsior and St Jago High standout – will contest the triple jump, where she is the top seed with a distance of 14.01.

Another former St Jago athlete, Jamora Alves, will close out the Jamaican field events campaign. She will represent St John’s University in the women’s discus throw.