KINGSTON, Jamaica – Former Edwin Allen and Jamaica junior representative Rushana Dwyer of South Plains Junior College was earlier this week named the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) women track athlete of the week after running a personal best 2:09.46 seconds to place sixth in the women’s 800m at the Arkansas Qualifier on February 16.

It was her first 800m of the year, and is the third fastest of the season, and number six all time on the indoors in the NJCAA list.

She was also a part of the South Plains women’s 4x400m relay team that ran 3:42.65 seconds for second against three NCAA DI programs, and ran the fastest split 54.21 on the second leg, as the team had the second best time of the year.

Meanwhile, three other Jamaicans copped athletes of the week honours in their respective conferences- Apalos Edwards in the SEC; Brithon Senior in the Big10 and Marrisa Simpson in Conference USA.

Edwards, the former Jamaica College jumper, who transferred from LSU at the end of the last season, made a good debut for the University of Arkansas as he was third in the men’s triple jump in 15.86m at the Arkansas qualifier.

His mark was the best among college jumpers in the event – the fourth best in the SEC so far this season.

Senior, the former Rusea’s High athlete, ran a personal best 7.66 seconds to win the men’s 60m hurdles, second in the Big10, ninth in the NCAA and fourth best ever by an athlete from the University of Nebraska.

It was his first Big10 award and first for Nebraska since 2014.

Simpson, formerly of Clarendon College, won her third indoor 60-metre hurdles race this season, clocking in at 8.13 seconds at the Arkansas qualifier, running for the University of Texas-El Paso.

Simpson, who has a season’s best 8.11 seconds, 12th in the NCAA, had run 8.21 seconds in the heats in Arkansas.

-Paul Reid