Thirty-one Jamaicans qualify for individual events as NCAA champs start on Wednesday
KINGSTON, Jamaica—Twelve of the just over 30 Jamaican student-athletes who have qualified for individual finals at the NCAA Division 1 outdoor track and field championships that are set to start on Wednesday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, were finalists last year.
Led by Ralford Mullings of the University of Oklahoma, who won the men’s discus throw last year, and Dejanae Oakley of the University of Georgia, who was second in the women’s 400m, the Jamaicans will be eyeing honour for their respective schools as the US college track and field season comes to a close.
Two athletes have qualified for two finals, women’s triple jump leader Shanate Foreman of Clemson, who has also qualified in the long jump, while the University of Florida’s Gabrielle Matthews has qualified in both the women’s 100m and 200m events.
Six Jamaicans have qualified for the men’s discus throw while for the first time ever, Jamaicans have qualified in the men’s javelin throw.
The men will compete on Wednesday and Friday while the women will compete on Thursday and Saturday, with two rounds scheduled in the track events from 100m to the 1500m will be run over two rounds.
All field events, the 3,000m steeplechase, 5000m and 10,000m events, will be contested as ‘straight’ finals.
On Wednesday’s opening day, Jermar Ferguson of the University of Louisiana and Brandon Falconer of Mount St Mary’s University will create history when they line up in the men’s javelin throw, while Jordan Turner of Louisiana State will contest the men’s long jump.
Kobe Lawrence of the University of Oregon will hope to better his fourth place last year when he lines up in the men’s shot put where Shaiquan Dunn of the University of Texas will make his first appearance at the ‘nationals’.
The University of Arkansas pair of Rivaldo Marshall and Tyrice Taylor returns in the men’s 800m where both are expected to challenge for championship honours.
Marshall, the 2024 Indoor Nationals champion, was third last year, while Taylor had placed eighth.
Demario Prince of Baylor University will hope to qualify for the 110m hurdles finals where he was fifth last year and will be accompanied by Jerome Campbell of the University of Arkansas.
Erstwhile 800m runner Kimar Farquharson of Texas A&M University is the lone Jamaican in the men’s 400m.
