It’s double celebration for Excelsior High school star Ackera Nugent who celebrated her 18th birthday yesterday, just days after getting confirmation that she gained a scholarship to the Baylor University.

Nugent, who at 16 years old, broke the World Youth Under-18 100m hurdles record with a stunning 12.89 seconds, thanked the Lord for all wonders and miracle he gave her.

“Getting the chance and also opportunity to be a Baylor Bear is my pleasure,,” Nugent told the Jamaica Observer.

“It’s a Christian institution also, and educational wise, in my field of study (psychological counselling), it’s beneficial. I must always be a student before an athlete, and most of all, it’s yellow and green all the way,” she pointed out in reference to the similar colours between Excelsior High and Baylor.

Nugent, who had one year left in high school and with seven CSEC subjects and one CAPE subject, is off to Baylor where she will be majoring in psychology.

Baylor University or simply Baylor, is a private Baptist Christian university in Waco, Texas, and it is the oldest operating university in Texas after opening its doors in 1845.

The university’s 1,000-acre campus is the largest Baptist university campus in the world and its athletic teams, known as the Bears, participate in 19 intercollegiate sports. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I.

The super talented Nugent, who has a personal best of 11.42 for the 100m and a 200m best of 24.13, is looking forward to a professional career having taken inspiration from Jamaican sprint hurdlers Orlando Bennett and Danielle Williams.

“Orlando, because behind the scenes he’s always encouraging me and pulling me to be the best version of myself each time I do compete, and also when I have great championships coming up he, tests my mental skills,” Nugent revealed.

“Daniel, because she’s a great example of an athlete… I would want to be and also I see the determination that I have in me in her mental toughness,” she added.

Nugent’s doting coach, Douglas Williams, who guided her in her last days at high school, was extremely happy for the progress of his prodigy, who he believes will make her mark at the Olympics and World Championship in the near future.

“I am extremely proud of her. She has worked hard for it. Sky is the limit for her,” said Williams.