Tyrice Taylor became the second Jamaican in three years to win the men’s 800m NCAA indoor title on Saturday, winning the final in a personal best 1:46.00 at the NCAA Indoor Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center at the University of Arkansas.

Taylor, who won the NCAA outdoor title last year, bettered his previous best of 1:46.11 and led a 1-2 for Arkansas with fellow Jamaican Rivaldo Marshall, who won the title in 2024 while at the University of Iowa, second in 1:46.12.

Taylor was one of three Jamaicans who won on Saturday’s second day.

Dejanae Oakley of the University of Georgia ran a Jamaican women’s 400m indoor record 50.47 seconds, breaking the 50.79 seconds set by Stephenie Ann McPherson in Serbia in 2022, to win the event.

Oakley lowered her previous best of 50.90 seconds while Shaquena Foote, also of Georgia, was fifth in a new personal best 51.13 seconds, fifth best all time by a Jamaican woman.

Meanwhile, Shenese Walker of Florida State University won the Women’s 60m in 7.08 seconds, the first Jamaican to win the event since Brianna Lyston of LSU won in 2024.

Gabrielle Matthews was second in the women’s 200m in a new personal best and University of Florida programme record 22.55 seconds, beating her previous best of 22.87 seconds and climbing 10 places to fourth on the all-time Jamaican list.

Kobe Lawrence of the University of Oregon was second in the men’s shot put with a big personal best 20.50m, a Jamaican and Oregon programme record. He beat his previous best of 20.16m and passed Ashinia Miller’s 20.48m indoor best set in 2024.
Shantae Foreman of Clemson was second in the women’s triple jump with 13.80m after placing fifth last year. Rhianna Phipps of the University of Nebraska was seventh with 13.37m.

Demario Prince of Baylor University was third in the men’s 60m hurdles with 7.48 seconds and Vashaun Vascianna of Arkansas sixth with 7.55 seconds while Oneka Wilson of Clemson was sixth in the women’s 60m hurdles with 8.11 seconds.

-Paul A Reid