Sport

Ja athletes impress at college meet

BY RAYMOND GRAHAM, Freelance Writer

JAMAICAN ATHLETES CONTINUE to impress on the collegiate scene as several were in action at the three-day NJCAA Championships which ended at the Southplains College campus on Wednesday.

The best performance came from former Vere Technical athlete Keisha Brown who played a pivotal role in helping Barton County College to retain their title.

Brown, the former CARIFTA sprint hurdle champion, walked away with two individual gold medals and was also a part of a winning relay team. After winning the long jump on the first day with a leap of 6.14m, she returned on the final day to take the 100m hurdles. Helped by a 2.2 metres per second (MPS) wind, she won the event in 13.57 seconds. Former St. Jago High athlete, Tresha Henry, competing for Essex Community College, took the bronze in 13.97 as former Holmwood Technical athletes Shaunette Davidson (14.48) and Tracyann Rowe (14.49) took sixth and seventh respectively. Both competed for Barton County.

Injury

Both Rowe and Brown were part of Barton County's 4x100m quartet which won in 44.70.Another former Vere Technical athlete, Sheree Francis, who now attends Central Arizona Community College, won the high jump with a leap of 1.77m.

Second place, Michelle Williamson, formerly of St. Jago High, now competing for Essex Community College and third place Davidson, also did 1.77m.

Former Edwin Allen athlete Lorraine McKenzie won the 1500m. Competing for Essex, McKenzie followed in the footsteps of her sister Keisha who was victorious last year by winning the event in 2:15.09.

Injury prevented former Vere star Simone Facey from competing for Barton County. This paved the way for her teammate, Juanita Braddus, to take the sprint double in 11.44 and 23.17. In the 100m, Rowe was second in 11.44 while Brown was fourth in 11.61.

Defending 200m champion, Kerron Stewart formerly of St. Jago and who competed for Essex, had to settle for silver in 23.46 while Rowe was third in 23.58.

Former Vere athlete Veronia Patterson who ran for Barton was second in the 400 metres hurdles in 61.72 seconds. In this event, former St. Andrew High school athlete, Trishana McGowan, competing for Kansas City College, finished third in 62.93. Former St. Jago athlete Clora Williams, sister of Olympic 400 metres semi-finalist Novlene Williams, finished third in the 400m in 54.61.

On the male side, former St. Andrew Technical athlete Isa Phillips, now competing for the host team South Plains, captured the 400m hurdles in 50.51.