Ja's Thomas wins NCAA shot put title

Former Edwin Allen High athlete Danniel Thomas captured the women's shot put title at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday night at the Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.

Olympian Thomas, a final year student at Kent State University, upstaged a very strong field to win the event with a heave of 19.15 metres. Thomas is now the fourth ranked athlete in the world in the event. Emmonnie Henderson of University of Louisville was second with 17.92m with third going to Brittainy Mann of University of Southern California (USC)with 17.49m.

Two-time champion Roven Saunders of the University of Mississippi was fourth.

Thomas, in an interview with the NCAA website, said she remained focused throughout the event.

"I just went out there and tried to be in my own zone. I didn't really let the fact that she (Saunders) was in the competition get in my head. I knew that as long as I did what I was supposed to do I would have done very well," she said.