Tyra Gittens won heptathlon gold, long jump silver and high jump bronze over three days at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships
Texas A&M
Six days after her 23rd birthday, Tyra Gittens gifted herself the heptathlon title on what was for her a bittersweet final day of the 2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
In what she described as the hardest meet of her life, the Texas A&M junior topped the heptathlon high jump (1.84m), long jump (6.64) and 200m (23.79) on the way to her second-best score of 6285 points that was more than enough for victory but 135 points off the Olympic qualifying standard of 6420.
It was, however, 218 more of the University of Miami’s Michelle Atherley. The Miami senior, who was the fastest in the 100m hurdles (13.15), scored 6067 points for the silver medal. University of Texas freshman Kristine Blazevica scored 5984 points for the bronze medal.
Putting it simply, after three days of gruelling competition, Gittens just ran out of gas. She literally fell across the finish line to complete the heptathlon 800m in which she was 19th overall, scoring 707 points for her time of 2:28.88.
Her legs were sapped because after the long jump on Thursday in which she won a silver medal, Gittens then had four events in the heptathlon on Friday before completing the other three on Saturday even while contending for individual honours in the high jump.
She just managed to complete the high jump 10 minutes before competing in the heptathlon 800m, her final event of the meet.
The athlete, who has a season-best of 1.95m was only able to clear 1.87m, good enough for third place behind A&M teammate, Jamaica’s Lamara Distin, who cleared a personal best 1.90m to win the silver medal. The gold medal went to South Carolina freshman, Rachel Glenn, who cleared a personal-best 1.93m.
Gittens just missed out on long-jump gold on Thursday when she soared out to 6.68m, two centimetres shy of the winning mark of 6.70m by Texas sophomore Tara Davis.
Jasmine Moore of Georgia jumped 6.65m for the bronze medal.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Hydel wins third Championship of America 4x400m title in a row at Penn Relays
Hydel High successfully defended their Championship of America 4x400m title on day two of the 128th Penn Relays at the Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Friday.
The quartet of Alliah Baker, Jody-Ann Daley, Nastassia Fletcher and Abigail Campbell combined to run 3:34.78 to win ahead of Bullis School (3:35.17) and Union Catholic (3:41.75).
Hydel captain Alliah Baker reacted to her second gold medal of the meet.
“I am not shocked but I’m very excited. This is my last year and I’m very happy to finish my last year with two gold medals,” she said.
Hydel have now won this event three straight times and five times in the last six years.
Hydel successfully defends High School Girls Championships of America 4x100m title
Hydel High successfully defended their High School Girls Championships of America 4x100m relay title, as Jamaican schools swept the podium on day two of the 128th Penn Relays at the Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Friday.
The team comprising Shemonique Hazel, Alliah Baker, Shania Myers and Jody-Ann Daley, clocked 44.71s in victory, as they fended off the challenge of Edwin Allen’s quartet Trezeguet Taylor, Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, Renecia Edwards and Jounee Armstrong of Edwin Allen, who clocked 44.96s. St Jago's team of Briana Campbell, Adora Campbell, Bryana Davidson and Quanna Walker, placed third in 45.14s.
Hydel’s captain Baker beamed with delight at the feat.
“We came out here to win and we executed we always say that we are one team, we are here for each other and so we just came out and delivered. We were confident, so we just told each other to stay calm and trust God,” she said shortly after the race.
Munro’s Hendricks, JC’s Penn, Israel secure victories on day two at Penn Relays
Munro College’s Chad Hendricks and JC’s Chavez Penn and Balvin Israel all secured wins on day two of the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Friday.
Hendricks, a silver medallist at both the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships and the Carifta Games, threw an excellent 66.17m to take top spot in the High School Boys’ discus ahead of Bergen Catholic’s Benjamin Shue (61.55m) and Christian Brothers’ Ashton Hearn (58.42m).
Penn, who won the high jump and triple jump double at both the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships and Carifta Games, produced 15.38m to comfortably win the triple jump ahead of Wolmer’s Boys’ Nicardo Grey-Clarke (14.52m) and Cornwall College’s Obrien Bowen (14.49m).
Israel added to his long jump gold medal at Champs with 7.24m to take top spot Friday. KC’s Nathan Wade, who took silver at Champs, was once again second with 7.09m while Calvert Hall College’s Antoine McNair Jr was third with 7.09m.
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