Three Jamaicans won titles on Saturday’s final day of the NCAA Division 1 track and field Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Favourite Dejanae Oakley of the University of Georgia smashed the NCAA record to win the women’s 400m; Shenese Walker of Florida State upset University of Georgia’s record holder Adejah Hodge in the 100m while Shantae Foreman of Clemson University –who was second in the long jump on Thursday – won a dramatic triple jump with a big personal best and school record 14.25m.

Oakley had to work hard as Madison Whyte of the University of Southern California came off the final curve first and led with about 60 metres before the Jamaican changed gears and ran past her to win in 48.80 seconds, beating her previous personal best 48.92 seconds.

The time extended Oakley’s world lead and beat the meet record and collegiate record 48.89 seconds set by fellow Jamaican Nickisha Pryce in 2024.

Walker got off to a flying start and held off a quality field to win in
10.88 seconds (0.0m/s), beating Hodge (10.93 seconds) who had run a world leading and NCAA record 10.63 seconds in the semi-finals on Thursday and was favourite to win. Gabrielle Matthews of the University of Florida was sixth in the 100m in 11.12 seconds and fourth in the 200m in 22.29 seconds.

Foreman, who was the leader in the triple jump all season, led from the second round with a wind-aided 14.14m (2.6m/s) just ahead of the University of Oregon’s Sharifa Davronova’s 14.13m.

Davronova then took over the lead with a wind-aided 14.15m (2.3m/s) with the penultimate jump of the competition before Foreman responded with a massive jump that saw her move past Kimberly Williamson into sixth best all time by a Jamaican.

Foreman, who was second last year, had an outdoors personal best 14.17m.

Machaeda Linton of Texas A&M was 12th with 13.24m (1.2m/s).

Janela Spencer of Ohio State placed third in the 100m hurdles with 12.79 seconds (1.2m/s), just ahead of Tonie-Ann Forbes of Texas Tech who ran 12.80 seconds.

Abigail Martin of Texas A&M was eighth in the discus throw with 56.15m while Annishka McDonald of West Virginia was tied for 13th in the high jump with 1.79m.

-Paul A Reid