KINGSTON, Jamaica— World Championships women’s high jump finalist Lamara Distin was one of three Jamaicans who won athlete of the week honours in their respective US college conferences after outstanding performances last weekend.

Distin of Texas A&M University was named the South-eastern Conference (SEC) women’s field athlete of the week, former Wolmer’s Boys’ sprinter Jehlani Gordon of the University of Georgia was the SEC Men’ Freshman of the week and Shaquena Foote of San Diego State University was named the Mountain West Women’s Track athlete of the week.

In her season debut, Distin cleared 1.94m to win the event at the Ted Nelson Invitational hosted by Texas A&M last weekend- the second best mark in the US so far.

Distin, who has a personal best 1.97m, has cleared 1.94m or better four times in her career.

Gordon ran 6.63 seconds to win the men’s 60m at the at New Balance Collegiate Showdown in Boston, a week after he had opened his college career with 6.60 seconds at the Clemson Invite, the ninth best time in the country.

Foote won her first athlete of the week award after she broke the San Diego State program record after running 53.41 seconds in the 400m at the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Invitational in New Mexico, finishing second overall and also won the women’s ‘unseeded’ 200m in a personal best 23.54 seconds, third fastest in program history.

-Paul A Reid