Florida State University discus thrower, Jamaican Shanice Love was all smiles at the end of the NCAA D1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships last Saturday.

A second-place finish and a personal best provided the perfect end to her junior year at the college and the perfect birthday present as she turned 22 on Sunday.

The former Excelsior High School athlete got her new personal best on only her second throw in the final when she hurled the discus 62.69m. She was beaten by Laulauga Tausaga of Iowa who also produced a personal best of 63.26m to win the competition.

While many people may have been disappointed with finishing second, Love is taking the positives away from her performance as she inches toward her personal goals.

Having declared before the start of the NCAA Championships that she was “prepared”, Love said that she expected a new personal (PB) best on Saturday.

“Yes, I did (expect a PB). My coach and I worked towards that day. I knew I was going to get my PR,” she disclosed.

“I wanted to get the school record, but I was just 3 cm off. I wanted it so bad. I will be number 1 at FSU soon,” she gushed.

Having beaten her old personal record (PR) of 61.54m by more than a metre, the Seminole has edged closer to former FSU teammate and Jamaican national Kellion Knibb, who currently holds the number one spot with 62.72m.

While her collegiate season is now over, Love has not put down the discus for the 2019 season, as the Jamaican National Championships scheduled for next week is the next thing on her agenda.

“I am looking to get another PR at trials and also make the World Championships team,” Love noted.

It is clear from the way that she is now throwing, and the fact that she has improved by over a metre in just one year, that her technique has improved, but the former “Champs” record holder is not resting on her laurels.

“Yes, my technique has improved a lot, but there is always something that needs strengthening,” she stated.

Love had high praises for her coach, Jamaican Dorian Scott, who also coached the Seminoles’ current record holder Knibb.

“It is great working with him; we get work done. It would mean so much to me to get the record,” she revealed.

The current national record holder for the discus is Shadae Lawrence, who finished third at the NCAA Championships with a best throw of 60.32m. The two will no doubt meet again next weekend, and while Love is not very far away from the record of 65.05m, that will not be her main focus.

“I have never been national champion and it would be great if that happens. I am not focusing on the record at trials, I am just trying to improve and if it comes that would be a plus,” she reasoned.

Love expects to be on the island early next week ahead of her quest to make the Jamaica team to Doha in late September.

— Dwayne Richards