KINGSTON, Jamaica – Chavez Penn of Barton County College and Rajay Hemmings of Iowa Western Junior College were winners on Friday’s first day of the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) Indoor championships in Topeka, Kansas.

Penn, the former Jamaica College athlete who earlier in the day placed ninth in the men’s long jump with 7.25m, won the high jump with an indoor best of 2.15m.

Hemmings, who had won the NJCAA Region 11 championships with an indoor best 18.06m, had three legal marks in the competition with a best of 17.78m; he also threw 17.60m.

Former Hydel High thrower, Natassia Burrell of Cloud County was second in the women’s shot put with 15.34m while Kahllah Bailey of South Plains was third with 14.14m.

Celine Riddle of Barton County was second in the women’s long jump with a best mark of 5.95m.

Meanwhile, a number of Jamaicans qualified for the finals of their respective events on Saturday’s second and final day.

Mickayla Gardener of Central Arizona College ran a personal best 7.28 seconds, an NJCAA lead, to lead the qualifiers in the women’s 60m, while Jayval Wright and Raheem Pinnock, both of Hinds Community College led the men’s 60m with times of 6.64 seconds and 6.65 seconds respectively, both also personal best performances.

Shaquane Gordon of Odessa College led the men’s 60m hurdles with 7.83 seconds, Shevon Depass of Western Texas was third with 7.94 seconds and Andre Harris, also of Odessa College was fifth with 7.96 seconds.

Asharria Ulett of Barton County led the women’s 60m hurdles with 8.41 seconds and her teammate Camoy Binger was second with 8.44 seconds.

Former Rusea’s High’s ISSA Champs gold medallist Raheem Scott of New Mexico Junior College was third fastest in the men’s 400m qualifying with a personal best of 46.90 seconds.

And Cindy Rose of Indian Hills qualified for the women’s 800m final with 2:17.28 seconds, third best over all.

-Paul A Reid