Green aglow in NCAA 400m win

Paul Burrowes

Monday, March 14, 2011

LEFORD Green of Johnson C Smith University set his seal on the 400m at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships held weekend at the ABQ Covention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The 24-year-old, who distinguished himself at Kingston College, romped home in a personal best 46.38 seconds.

The Central American and Caribbean Games 400m hurdles champion, Green improved on his indoor best by 0.2 seconds. He also won this title in 2008.

His countryman Dane Hyatt of Lincoln University in Missouri finished fourth overall in a season-best 47.12 seconds.

Kimour Bruce, Judith Riley, and Indira Spence were other Jamaicans crowning themselves NCAA Division II champions.

Twenty-four-year Bruce, also of Lincoln, sped to a personal best 6.62 seconds to successfully defend his title, edging American Desmond Jackson (6.64 seconds) of Abilene Christian University and teammate fellow countryman Dwain Bryden, 6.71 seconds.

In the women's 60m, it was a Jamaican sweep, with Riley, also of Lincoln, nicknamed the Blue Tigers, winning in a personal best 7.34 seconds, just ahead of Spence of Adams State College who also ran a personal best 7.36 seconds.

Shavine Hodges of Grand Canyon University timed 7.37 seconds for third with Shanna-Kay Wright, another Blue Tiger, fourth in 7.52 seconds. Latoya King, also of Lincoln, finished eighth in 7.64 seconds.

Spence triumphed in the 60m hurdles with a personal best 8.07 seconds, with American Raven Clay of the Univeristy of Findlay second in 8.28 seconds, with Jamaican Shermaine Williams of Johnson C Smith University third in 8.28 seconds.

For the women's 200m, Jamaicans finished second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, after American Shannon Gagne of the University of New Haven who clocked 23.66 seconds for victory.

Riley timed 23.69 seconds, Lincoln's Nyoka Cole 23.98, Hodges 24.04, Johnson C Smith's Shermaine Williams 24.06, and King 24.13.