Good performances from Distin, Nelson at NCAA outdoor champs
Former Western Champs gold medallists Lamara Distin and Kemba Nelson were outstanding at last weekend’s NCAA Outdoor National Championships held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Distin, who was competing for Texas A&M University, completed the national high jump double, adding the outdoor title to her indoor one, won in March, while Nelson of the University of Oregon was second in the women’s 100m.
In the semi-finals on Thursday, Nelson, formerly of Mt Alvernia High, ran a big personal best 10.97 seconds, the 19th Jamaican woman to go under the 11.00 seconds barrier.
Meanwhile, former Cornwall College athletes Owayne Owens of the University of Virginia and Nathan Reid of the University of Wyoming also competed in the men’s triple jump and discus throw, respectively.
Distin, who broke both Jamaican national record— indoor and outdoor this year— cleared 1.95m to win the title on Saturday, improving on her second place last year, but failed to equal the college record of 2.00m, knocking down the bar all three times.
The former Rusea’s High student made a clean sweep of all major titles, winning the South-eastern Conference (SEC) title as well as the national titles and had achieved the qualifying mark for the World Athletics Championships to be held at Hayward Field next month.
Meanwhile, former Herbert Morrison Technical jumper Daniella Anglin of the University of South Dakota was 14th overall in the high jump, clearing 1.80m.
Nelson, who was fourth last year, was second in the 100m in 11.02 seconds (0.2m/s), the same time given to winner Julien Alfred of the University of Texas.
In the semi-finals, she ran 10.97 seconds to win her heat and is tied for 15th on the Jamaican list with Natalliah Whyte and Briana Williams, after winning the Pac-12 Conference double last month.