BOSTON, USA — World leader Wayne Pinnock of the University of Arkansas equalled the Jamaican men’s indoor long jump record while winning the event with 8.40m on Friday’s second day of the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships here at the TRACK at New Balance.

Pinnock, who was fourth last year, joined his former Kingston College and Arkansas teammate Carey McLeod and James Beckford at the top of the Jamaican list, and said afterwards that he was “grateful” for the mark.

“I prayed about this moment and I felt very calm out there. I know all the others in the field are good jumpers but I just executed as I should,” he said.

Pinnock — who ended the 2023 season as the outdoor world leader — also extended his world lead twice from his previous personal best 8.34m, set earlier this year, when he jumped 8.36m in the second round and then 8.40m in the fourth round, before ending the competition with two fouls.

He told the
Jamaica Observer he felt the last two jumps could have been longer than the 8.40m but said he was satisfied, as he joined Beckford who had set the national record in 1996 in Spain before McLeod, then of Arkansas, equalled the mark while winning the NCAA title in New Mexico last year.

Meanwhile, Tavis Williams of University of Southern California advanced to Saturday’s final in the men’s 60m; Jevaughn Powell of University of Florida and Shamar Uter of Texas Tech advanced in the 400m; Rivaldo Marshall of University of Iowa led the qualifiers in the men’s 800m and will be joined by Tarees Rhoden of Clemson University; while Jaheem Hayles of University of Syracuse is into the men’s 60m hurdles final.

On today’s final day of the championships Romaine Beckford of University of Arkansas and Lamara Distin of Texas A&M, both ranked number one, will try to defend their respective high jump titles, with Beckford going for his second and Distin for her third-straight.

Zayne Palomino of The University of Southern Mississippi will contest his first NCAA championships when he lines up in the men’s event as well.

Ackelia Smith of University of Texas, Shantae Foreman of Clemson, and Rhianna Phipps of Nebraska are down to contest the women’s triple jump while four men, the most Jamaicans in any one event, will line up in the shot put. These are Roje Stona of Arkansas, Courtney Lawrence of Clemson, Kai Chang of University of Florida, and Warren Barrett of Liberty University.

Luke Brown of University of Kentucky, the NCAA leader, will seek to become the second-straight Jamaican to win the men’s triple jump event, after Jaydon Hibbert last year, and will be joined by Terol Wilson of University of Nebraska.

Williams ran 6.60s on Friday, third best in the preliminaries, to secure his place in the 60m final, placing second in the second heat.

Powell ran 46.05s for second — in the first semi-final — to advance to the 400m final, while Uter clocked 46.09s. D’Andre Anderson of Clemson, however, who ran 46.35s, did not advance.

Marshall in his first season at University of Iowa ran 1:47.21 minutes, fastest in the men’s 800m prelims, and will be joined by Rhoden who ran 1:47.66 minutes after he received two warnings for moving before the starter’s gun.

Hayles equalled his season-best 7.65s and was the seventh fastest in the men’s 60m hurdles heats, but Demario Prince of Baylor University was ninth in 7.71s and just missed the final.

Brithon Senior of University of Nebraska did not start the men’s 60m hurdles semis.