The second day of the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, Thursday proved to be a day of mixed fortunes for Caribbean athletes. While there were moments of triumph, disappointments also marked the day.
Leading the way for the Caribbean contingent was Jamaica’s Ackelia Smith, a junior at the University of Texas in Austin, who successfully defended her long jump title. Smith soared to a distance of 6.79m, fending off a strong challenge from the University of Florida’s Claire Bryant, who took silver with a leap of 6.74m. Stanford’s sophomore Alyssa Jones secured third place with a jump of 6.64m.
In the sprints, Louisiana State University (LSU) sophomore Brianna Lyston showcased her prowess in the 100m. Lyston, the reigning NCAA 60m champion, cruised to victory in her heat, clocking an impressive 10.99 seconds, the second-fastest time of the semifinals. Only Ole Miss's McKenzie Long was faster, winning her heat in 10.91 seconds. Unfortunately, Lyston's luck did not extend to the 200m, where she finished fifth in her heat with a time of 22.76 seconds, missing out on a spot in the final.
Similarly, Tennessee’s Joella Lloyd, Antigua's fastest woman, fell short of her own expectations in the 100m. Aiming to break the 11-second barrier, Lloyd clocked 11.19 seconds, the 11th fastest time in the semifinals, and thus did not advance to the final.
There was another setback 200m, where Texas' Dejanea Oakley failed to make it to the final. Oakley finished sixth in her heat with a time of 22.82 seconds.
On a brighter note, Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce delivered a stellar performance in the 400m semifinals. The University of Arkansas senior, who recently etched her name into Jamaica’s track and field history with a personal best of 49.32 seconds, continued her impressive form by winning her semifinal heat in 49.87 seconds. This was the second-fastest time advancing to the final, bested only by her teammate Kaylyn Brown, who clocked 49.81 seconds. Notably, the University of Arkansas dominated this event with four women advancing to the finals.