Six wins for Jamaicans at NJCAA Champs

SIX JAMAICAN athletes were winners at the three-day National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) Track and Field Championships, which ended on Saturday in New Mexico, United States.

Former Enid Bennett High middle-distance runner Tyrese Taylor, competing for Indian Hill Community College, clocked a very good one minute 46.94 seconds to win the men’s 800 metres final. Jamaican athletes took the top three placings as former Calabar High athletes Kemar Ferguson (1:47.25) of South Plains Junior College and Rivaldo Marshall (1:48.10) of Indian Hill finished second and third, respectively.

Sharvis Simmonds, a former Excelsior High sprint hurdler, also picked up a win on the track. Competing for Central Arizona Junior College, he captured the 110m hurdles in 13.62 seconds. Former Clarendon College athlete Rahyme Christian of Iowa Western Community College was third in 13.84.

There were also two Jamaican wins in field events. Clarendon College past student Brandon Lloyd, representing Barton County Junior College, produced a record throw of 65.32m to win the discus ahead of former Edwin Allen High teammates Trevor Gunzell (61.23m), now representing Coffeyville Community College, and Christopher Young (59.68m) of Barton County.

Young won the shot put final with a best of 18.63m while Gunzell took third with 17.68m. Young was also third in the hammer throw with a distance of 35.85m.

Former Holmwood Technical 400m runner Tahj Hamm, now representing Iowa Western Community College, had a second-place finish in the men’s 400m final in 45.42 seconds.There was also a second-place finish for former Jamaica College 400m hurdler Jaydon Brown. Competing in the event for Iowa Western Community College, he clocked 51.13.

Rushana Dwyer, a former Edwin Allen middle-distance athlete, Calisha Taylor, a former Holmwood Technical 400m hurdler, picked up wins for their colleges.

Competing for South Plains Junior College, Dwyer won the 800m in two minutes 10.63 seconds.

Taylor scored a win for New Mexico Junior College in the 400m hurdles final, clocking 57.47 seconds. Former Edwin Allen High athlete Jodyann Dixon, representing Hinds Community College, was second in 57.57 and former Excelsior High athlete Shenell Tucker was third in 58.76 in the colours of South Plains.

In the women’s 100m hurdles final, former St Jago High student Danae Nembhard placed third for Barton County College in 13.51 seconds.