HIGH jumper Romario Beckford and sprinter Shevioe Reid of the University of South Florida, and long jumper Nikaoli Williams of the University of Oklahoma all set programme records at the Wisconsin Windy City Invitational meet at Gately Indoor Track & Field Complex in Chicago.

They were among several Jamaicans who were winners at various other meets as they prepare for their various conference championships set to start next weekend.

Beckford, a finalist at the Commonwealth Games last year in Birmingham, UK, cleared 2.22m to win the event in a new facility record and improved on his previous best of 2.20m set a year ago.

The reigning American Athletics Conference indoors and outdoor champion has an outdoor best of 2.23m, set while winning at the Penn Relays last year.

Former Calabar High jumper Nikaoli Williams won the men’s long jump with a new best of 8.06m to be the third Jamaican in the top five of the NCAA Division 1 ranking, and number seven in the world.

It was his third personal best performance this year and improved on his previous best of 7.86m set three weeks earlier.

Reid, the former Kingston College runner, improved on his personal best in the 200m during which he was second in 21.14 seconds, lowering his previous best 21.46 seconds set a week earlier.

He was also second in the men’s 400m in 48.12 seconds.

Triple jumper Owayne Owens of the University of Virginia won his second-straight title of the year, jumping 16.59m at the Tiger Paw event on Saturday.

Luke Brown of the University of Kentucky was second with 16.34m and Malik Cunningham of Villanova was fifth in 15.63m.

Demisha Roswell won the women’s 60m at the Texas Tech Jarvis Scott Open, clocking a personal best 7.24 seconds.

Kimar Farquharson of South Plains Community College won the men’s 800m in 1:47.04 seconds while his teammate Chevonne Hall was fifth in 1:49.55 seconds.

Kevin Nedrick won the men’s shot put at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invite at Liberty University with a lifetime best 19.33m seconds in the school’s history, behind only teammate Warren Barrett.

Meanwhile, at the Texas Tech meet Jeremy Bembridge of South Plains was fourth in the men’s 400m in 46.40 seconds, with Gregory Prince seventh in 47.29 seconds.

At the Clemson event, Daniel Cope was third in the men’s weight throw with 21.92m while Marie Forbes was fourth in the women’s event with 21.13m.

Oneka Wilson was seventh in the women’s 60m hurdles in 8.24 seconds after running her lifetime best 8.14 seconds in the semi-finals, a top 10 mark in Clemson history.

Yanique Daye of Ohio State Univcerity was third in the women’s 60m in 7.34 seconds, while Kevona Davis of the University of Texas had run a personal best 7.19 seconds in the semi-finals and was fourth in the 200m in 22.99 seconds.

Tareese Rhoden was second in the men’s 800m in 1:47.89 seconds, just off his lifetime best.

At the Windy City meet Janielle Josephs of the University of Minnesota was fourth in the invitational 400m in 54.77 seconds, and her teammate Abigail Schaaffe placed sixth in 55.29 seconds.

Safin Wills of Purdue was third in the men’s triple jump in 15.62m while Annia Ashley of South Florida was seventh in the women’s high jump in 1.73m. Her teammate Nia Robinson was eighth in 1.68m

— Paul Reid