KINGSTON, Jamaica— World Athletics Under-20 championships gold medallist Ackera Nugent is the latest Jamaican collegiate athlete to move to the University of Arkansas.

The former Excelsior High star runner, who won the gold medal at the world junior championships in Nairobi, Kenya in 2021, and whose World Under-20 indoors record was recently ratified, had attended Baylor University for the past two seasons.

On Wednesday, Nugent posted a photograph of herself wearing a University of Arkansas shirt while clearing a hurdle with the word ‘Arkansas’ on it.

She captioned the photo: “Rule #3, forget ATTENTION and GROW in PRIVATE. I spoke less and God did the rest. (Psalms 27:1).”

At Arkansas, she will join a number of Jamaicans including World Championships men’s long jump finalist Wayne Pinnock and Olympian Carey McLeod, who both transferred from the University of Tennessee; discus throwers Ralford Mullings, who transferred from Arizona State and Roje Stona who previously attended Clemson University.

Shakwon Coke also signed for Arkansas after leaving Barton County College along with World Under-20 triple jump champion Jaydon Hibbert, who had previously signed with Tennessee. Jamie Farr, Ryan Brown and sprint hurdler Phillip Lemonious are also on the men’s team.

Nickesha Pryce, formerly of Vere Technical and Iowa Western Community College, and Joanne Reid, formerly of St Jago High, are also on the women’s roster.

-Paul A Reid