Travis Williams led a handful of Jamaicans who won indoor titles at their respective NCAA Conference Championships held over the weekend when he triumphed in the men’s sprint double at the American East championships held at the New Balance track in Boston.

Williams, who represented the University of Albany in New York, set meeting records in the men’s 60m and 200m, while there were Jamaican winners at the Mid-Eastern America Conference (MEAC) and Conference USA.

The NCAA conference indoor season will end this coming weekend with the staging of several major conference championships, including the ‘Power Five’- South-eastern Conference (SEC), Big-12, BigTen, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and Pac-12 as well as Mountain West, Ivy League and Big East where dozens of Jamaicans are expected to take part.

At the American East Championships, Williams, who attended Gaynstead High in the younger classes at the ISSA Championships before migrating to the USA, ran 6.64 seconds to win the 60m, the 12th best time in the NCAA so far.

He broke the meet record 6.75 seconds set by Jon Alkins in 2017, and then ran a personal best 20.89 seconds to win the 200m.

Former Papine High runner Dominique Clarke, also of Albany, retained the women’s 60m after she ran 7.45 seconds, while former Jamaica College athlete Travis Robinson, the event record holder, retained his men’s shot put title with 16.37m.

Former Kingston College middle-distance runner Giovauni Henry of the University of Albany was second in the men’s 1,000m, running 2:29.92 minutes and placed fifth in the 800m in 1:55.09 minutes with his twin brother Gianni finishing eighth in 1:55.25.

Morgan State University’s Terine Lambert, formerly of Hydel High, won the women’s shot put at the MEAC event held at Virginia Beach Sports Complex, throwing 13.90m, while her teammate Jonelle Johnson was third in 13.52m.

Johnson, who attended Edwin Allen High, was also fourth in the women’s weight throw with 17.34m, while another former Edwin Allen athlete Kara Grant of Norfolk State was second in the women’s mile in 5:06.54 minutes.

Former Pembroke Hall runner Noxroy Wright of Coppin State was second in the men’s 200m in 21.22 seconds and fourth in the 60m in 6.82 seconds.

Former Cornwall College Western Champs winner Omari McKenzie of Morgan State was fourth in the men’s triple jump with a personal best 14.28m on his only legal jump of the competition.

Former St Jago High standout Niesha Burgher won the women’s 200m at the Conference USA championships, running 23.29 seconds, while her University of Texas-El Paso teammate Denae McFarlane was fifth in 24.23 seconds.

Burgher was also second in the women’s 60m in 7.38 seconds with McFarlane who attended Edwin Allen High, third in 7.41 seconds.

Marrisa Simpson, formerly of Clarendon College, won the women’s 60m hurdles in 8.29 seconds and Jordani Woodley, who was second last year and who had won the outdoors 110m title, finished fourth in the men’s 60m hurdles in 8.10 seconds after qualifying second in 7.93 seconds.

— Paul A Reid