2021 runners-up Lamara Distin and Rojé Stona lead the Jamaican charge at the NCAA Outdoor Championships which start on June 8, in the US city of Eugene, Oregon. Distin is favoured in the women’s high jump while Stona is in for a battle in the men’s discus.
L-R: Lamara Distin, Rojé Stona
Distin, who now holds the Jamaican high jump record at 1.97m and this year’s NCAA Indoor crown, along with the fastest collegiate 400m runner Charokee Young, may not be enough to earn Texas A&M University a shot at another women’s team title. While Young will seek to attack her sizzling 49.87 seconds personal best to move up from her 2021 5th place finish, Young’s 2021 Jamaican Olympic teammate Stacy-Ann Williams, 6th last year, will be in her way.
Williams, 100/200 sprinter Kevona Davis and long jumper/triple jumper Ackelia Smith and St Lucian Julien Alfred, who has run 10.81 seconds for the 100m, are part of a title-chasing University of Texas unit.
The University of Oregon has a Jamaican speedster of its own, 2021 NCAA Indoor 60m champion Kemba Nelson. 4th in last year’s 100m final, Nelson is the highest returner.
Stona, a Clemson University standout, and Arizona State freshman Ralford Mullings have both breached 65m this season. However, they face Mullings’ 2021 World Under 20 Championship conqueror Miklos Alekna who is tipped to win.
Jevaughn Powell, the first Jamaican to break 45 seconds in the 400m this year at 44.87, faces a fine field but the tall UTEP student-athlete has the 1996 winner Davian Clarke in the coaching corner.
In the 2-lap event, Navasky Anderson of Mississippi State carries the hope of a black-green-and-gold revival. His winning time of 1.45.89 at the Southeastern Conference Championships (SEC) is the first sub-1.46 by a Jamaican since 1996. Predictions suggest that the lanky Anderson has a chance to win a medal.
There is a triple Jamaican threat in the jumps. Penn Relays winner Romaine Beckford, now at South Florida University is among the top ten high jumpers. NCAA indoor long jump winner Wayne Pinnock and the 2021 bronze medallist, Olympian Carey McLeod will double up for the University of Tennessee, while Owayne Owens, 15th last year, will fly the flag for the University of Virginia in the triple.
Sadly, injuries have eliminated 2022 NCAA 60m champion Davonte Burnett and 2021 100 metre hurdles third-place finisher, Ackera Nugent. However, Demisha Roswell of Texas Tech will challenge in the hurdles, given her 12.44 – 12.45 win over Nugent at the Big 12 Conference meet.
The men compete on Wednesday and Friday, with the women on deck on Thursday and Saturday.