FORMER Rusea’s High School track and field standout, Nia Robinson started her college career with a bang on Thursday as she won the long/triple jump double at the Coffeyville Winter Invite in Texas.

Robinson’s Barton Community College teammate Tyrese Reid won the men’s 800m, while former St Elizabeth Technical High School representative Dashinelle Dyer got off to a fast start when he ran 8.06 seconds to win the men’s 60m hurdles, representing Iowa Central Community College.

Former Edwin Allen High School athletes Lanasha Graham in the women’s 400m and Kayan Green in the women’s 800m were also winners at the meet that was held outside in sub-50 degrees Farenheit weather that challenged the will and resolve of the athletes.

Robinson, who migrated with her family a year ago and started Barton in August, took the long jump with 5.46m and then the triple later with 11.66m.

Dyer set the mark for all sprint hurdlers in the junior college ranks with his fast start which ranks him eighth-best in the USA in any division.

He later returned to place third in the 200m in 22.67 seconds, winning his section.

Reid, formerly of Spot Valley High School, was able to cruise in the 800m, clocking a pedestrian 2 minutes 04.55 seconds and winning by almost eight seconds.

Green won the women’s 800m in 2:38.90 minutes with equal ease, while Graham, who is known more for her hurdling skills, won the 400m in 1:04.72 minutes.

On Friday, former Mt Alvernia High School sprinter Soyine Grenyion, who is at Indiana Tech, was second in the women’s 200m at the Youngstown Collegiate Invitational in Ohio, less than 20 minutes after she placed sixth in the 60m final.

A day after she celebrated her 19th birthday, Greynion clocked 25.76 seconds as her teammates filled out the top five places in the event won by senior Sha’londa Terry in 25.12 seconds.

Earlier, she had run 7.81 seconds to win her heat in the 60m and advanced to the final as the third-best qualifier, but then jogged 8.06 seconds in the final for sixth place.