JAMAICAN sprint hurdler Keiron Stewart of the University of Texas, Austin, clocked a personal best 7.68 seconds to become the first qualifier in the 60-metre hurdles at next month’s NCAA Division One Indoor Championships at College Station, Texas.

The 21-year-old, 5ft-11in Stewart, who holds Jamaica’s junior record in the 110m hurdles, improved on his previous best of 7.71 seconds ran last year at the Big 12 Indoor Championships.

A Kingston College past student, Stewart was competing last weekend at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, held at the Armory Track & Field Centre in New York.

Damar Forbes of Louisiana State University leapt 7.64 metres to place third in the long jump at the same meet, where Trisha-Ann Hawthorne of the University of Connecticut ran a personal best 7.28 seconds to finish fourth in the 60 metres.

Associate head coach at Connecticut, Clive Terrelonge said: “Trisha’s where she wants to be going into the Nationals (NCAA Indoor Championships). She is at a point where most of the runners in the nation are looking up at her and trying to catch her best time.”

The 21-year-old Hawthorne was fourth at the Jamaica’s National Championships last year, after Sherone Simpson, Carrie Russell and Samantha Henry.

Robert Peddlar of the University of Michigan notched a personal best 7.58 metres to place second in the long jump at the Notre Dame Meyo Invitational in Indiana.

Deputy Head Boy at Wolmer’s from 2005-2007, Peddlar improved on his previous indoor best of 7.35 metres set last year. The Big 10 Indoor defending long jump champion, 21-year-old Peddlar had enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and Arts at the University of Michigan.

Tarika Williams of the University of Miami ran a personal best 23.62 seconds to win the 200 metres at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet. Her time ranks as the third-fastest in the history of Hurricanes.

Meanwhile, Manchester High past student Judith Riley of Lincoln University was named Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) track athlete of the week after contributing 36 points to lead the Blue Tigers to the team title at the NCAA Division II Team Challenge, in Findlay, Ohio.

The 22-year-old Riley, a freshman, clocked a personal best 7.49 seconds to place second in the 60 metres, won the 200m in 25.23 seconds and 8.70 for second in the 60m hurdles.