The timing of the South Eastern Conference (SEC) indoor track and field championships could not have come at a better time for former Rusea’s High School jumper Lamara Distin who now attends Texas A&M University on an athletics scholarship.

Distin, who still holds the Class three high jump record of 1.71m at the County of Cornwall Athletics Association (COCAA) Western Champs, rebounded from a slow start to the NCAA indoor season to set her personal best 1.82m at the Tyson Invitational at the University of Arkansas, fifth best all-time in Texas A&M history and currently tied for fourth in the SEC.

“Coming back from a minor injury and jumping 1.82m was a great achievement for me,” the former Corinaldi Avenue Primary student told the Jamaica Observer West earlier this week, adding that “It was a great competition…getting to jump with some great athletes.”

“I was able to fix certain faults that were needed to be fixed in order for me to be comfortable enough to jump.”

Distin, who will compete in the high jump tomorrow and then the triple jump on Saturday’s final day, said she has her eyes set on the NCAA nationals schedule for March 11 to 13 in Arkansas.

She noted that she is not fully over her injury and expects to do well this weekend.

“I only have two meets left for the indoor season which is SEC and Nationals and I am looking forward to having successful meets,” she stressed.

She argued that while winning is important, it is not everything.

“It’s everybody’s goal to win in a competition but winning is not the only purpose of competing,” she told the Observer West.

“My goals are to stay healthy and to bring out the very best in myself and actually get better each time I compete.”