Former Jamaican junior representative Kobe Lawrence of the University of Oregon placed fourth in the men’s shot put after throwing a personal best 20.32m on Wednesday’s opening day of the NCAA D1 Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Lawrence, who is completing his first year in the United States (US) college circuit and who represented Jamaica at last year’s World Athletics Under 20 championships, was second until the last two jumps of the competition pushed him down the standings.

Kobe Lawrence of the University of Oregon placed fourth in the men’s shot on Wednesday’s opening day of the NCAA D1 Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo via Instagram)

His new mark beat his previous best 19.64m and saw him move one place up the Oregon all-time performances, and he also beat his previous best four times in the competition.

The other Jamaican who competed in a field event on Wednesday, Safin Wills, had three fouls in the men’s long jump — the final jump, measured at 7.85m, would have been a new personal best but was ruled a foul more than half an hour later.

Meanwhile, Tyrice Taylor of the University of Arkansas ran a personal best 1:45.23 to lead the men’s 800m going into Friday’s final, beating his previous best of 1:45.81 set earlier this year.

His teammate Rivaldo Marshall also advanced after running 1:47.14 while Dugion Blackman of Iowa State, who ran 1:48.15 and Kirk Dawkins of Florida A&M University, who ran 1:48.41, failed to get past the semi-final.

Demario Prince of Baylor University was the third fastest in the 110m hurdles semi-finals after he ran 13.27 seconds (0.8m/s) while Jaheim Stern of Louisiana State (LSU) also made progress after he ran a personal best of 13.29 seconds (1.1m/s).

Jerome Campbell of Northern Colorado, who was a finalist last year and was second in the indoor 60m hurdles, was 11th overall with 13.50 seconds (1.1m/s).

Jehlani Gordon of the University of Georgia ran 10.19 seconds (0.1m/s) for 11th place and Travis Williams of the University of Southern California was 12th with 10.21 seconds (-0.2m/s) in the men’s 100m and failed to advance.

Shemar Chambers of the University of Georgia was 12th overall in the men’s 400m after he ran 45.48 seconds, and Shaemer Uter of Texas Tech was 13th with 45.62 seconds, and both were eliminated.

— Paul Reid