Former western–based athletes shine at overseas college meets
MONTEGO BAY, ST JAMES – Former western-based athletes got their college indoor seasons off to a fast start last weekend with a series of outstanding performances, led by a NCAA leading triple jump by Owayne Owens of the University of Virginia on Friday.
Nia Robinson, formerly of Rusea’s High, was a double winner for Barton College on Thursday, taking the long and triple jump double at a meet held outdoors in Kansas, where her teammate Tyrese Reid won the men’s 800m. Kemba Nelson, formerly of Mt Alvernia High, ran a fast opening 60m at an intrasquad meet at the University of Oregon in a time that would have seen her tied for second nationally, if she had run it in a recognised meet.
Nelson, who transferred from University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica this year, clocked 7.29 seconds at the meet and will be ready to stamp her class when they go up against runners from other schools.
Owens should be in contention for Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) weekly honours after the former Cornwall College athlete set a new personal best 16.35m, while winning the event at the Virginia Tech Invitational.
He had equalled his former personal best 16.25m mark in the third round, his first legal attempt of the competition, and should be in line for his first ACC weekly honours.
Robinson started her college career with a bang with wins at the Coffeyville Winter Invite in Kansas, which was held outside in sub-50 degrees Fahrenheit 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 in 5.46m and then the triple later in 11.66m.
Reid, formerly of Spot Valley High, was able to cruise in the 800m, clocking a pedestrian two minutes 04.55 seconds, winning by almost eight seconds.
On Friday, another former Mt Alvernia High sprinter, Soyine Grenyion, who is at Indian Tech in the NAIA, 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 finals.
A day after she celebrated her 19th birthday, Greynion clocked 22.76 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 qualified for the final as the third best qualifier, but then jogged 8.06 seconds in the final for sixth place.