ACKELIA Smith of University of Texas will be going after her first sweep of the women’s long and triple jump titles at the NCAA Division 1 championships which ends at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday.

Smith, who placed first in both events at the recent NCAA West Regionals, retained her NCAA long jump title on Thursday with a best of 6.79m (0.4m/s), coming in the third round. She had fouled her first two attempts.

University of Arkansas senior Nia Robinson finished 12th in the long jump on Thursday with 6.27m (0.5m/s), while University of Texas freshman Aaliyah Foster was 13th with a personal best 6.25m (0.4m/s).

Smith, the former Edwin Allen High student who lost preparation time after she was injured at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, leads both the long and triple jumps. She is set to be one of three Jamaicans in the ‘hop, step and jump’ final on Saturday.

Rhianna Phipps of University of Nebraska and Shantae Foreman of Clemson University will also contest the triple jump.

World Championships finalist Lamara Distin of Texas A&M University will hope to close her college career with a bang when she contests the women’s high jump. She will hope to make amends for her second place finish at the indoor and outdoor championships last year.

Roschell Clayton of Villanova will also end her college career today and will hope to improve on her sixth place in the indoor championships.

Five other Jamaicans, including Brianna Lyston of Louisiana State in the women’s 100m and Nickisha Pryce of University of Arkansas in the 400m, are to compete on Saturday.

Gabrielle Bailey of Kent State and Abigail Martin of Texas A&M will compete in the women’s discus throw while and Gabrielle Matthews of Ole Miss will compete in the 400m hurdles.