Texas A&M’s Lamara Distin, fresh from her silver medal performance in the high jump at last weekend’s NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, is targeting the Olympic standard of 1.96m when she competes at the Jamaica National Championships beginning June 26.
After overcoming injury early in the season, Distin rebounded to clear a personal best height and end her sophomore season on a high. Now, she is looking for more.
“Well, I’m definitely trying to get the Olympic standard of 1.96m,” she said responding to whether she will be competing at the national championships.
“I’m continuing to be patient with myself and hoping for the best. I am young and still have a bright future ahead of me.”
Distin cleared a personal best of 1.90m to finish second to South Carolina freshman Rachel Glenn, who needed a personal best of 1.93m to take the gold medal and head of teammate Tyra Gittens, who cleared 1.87m for third.
Distin said she was grateful she was able to achieve one of her main goals for the season.
“All I can say God is good. Before the start of the season my main goal was to jump 1.90 or higher so finally being able to jump it and also at the biggest meet of my collegiate career is one I’ll never forget,” she said.
“I always try to stay patient even after a rocky start to my season. I have my coaches and teammates to motivate me, which helps me a lot. It was a very great experience competing at the biggest collegiate meet and jumping with some great athletes.”
In the heat of battle and as the bar was raised higher and higher, Distin and Glenn maintained clean records. As the contest neared its climax, the former Hydel and Vere Technical jumper, revealed that she harboured the belief that she could pull off the win but knew she had to do something special to achieve it.
“Actually, I did at some point, but I knew it would take over 6ft 2inches to win. We are both great jumpers and at a point, I thought count-back would determine who wins the competition. If I had cleared 6ft 4in on my first attempt, then I would have definitely thought I had it in the bag,” she said.
“I honestly did not want to put any pressure on myself thinking about high bars because doing that can hinder me from doing what’s important such as my run-up and my technique.
“However, I took it one step at a time. Each time the bar got higher, it’s just to always make it on my first attempt. My focus was to just go out there and get a personal best and I know for sure if I did it would take a big jump to do that. Although my target was to get the Olympic qualifying standard of 1.96m, I am still pleased with my performance.”
Having Gittens, the NCAA’s leading high jumper also in the competition was also a boost. Each offering the other words of advice and reassurance.
“Yes, we always do because we know what we are capable of doing. If it comes to the point where we miss an attempt, we just forget about it and talk about how to correct the mistake. We’re also very supportive of each other regardless of the outcome,” she said.
Overall, it was a good end to a season that came with significant challenges, Distin said, happy that she was able to close on a high note.
“The start of the indoor season, I had a minor injury which kind of slowed down the process of performance. I was putting pressure on myself because I know what I am capable of doing and it just wasn’t happening but I stayed true to myself and stayed patient,” she said.
“I qualified for the indoor championship at the very last meet before indoor SEC because of not competing and trying to get back healthy. Overall, I definitely met my expectations for the outdoor season but I am eager for more as I am starting to surpass my goals.”
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.
JAAA names 31-member World Relays team
Rising sprint sensations Ackeem Blake and Alana Reid have been included in a 31-member squad named by the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA) to represent the island at the World Athletics Relays, scheduled for May 4 and 5 in Bahamas.
Jamaica’s athletes are expected to contest the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays, as well as the Mixed 4x400m relay, at the two-day spectacle which will take place at the refurbished Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.
Blake and Reid have been listed among the respective 4x100m relay pools, which also includes Kemba Nelson, Natasha Morrison, and reigning University champion Kadrian Goldson.
World Indoor bronze medallist Rusheen McDonald, World and Olympic relay medallist Janieve Russell, and World 400m hurdles finalist Roshawn Clarke, headline the pool for the 4x400m and Mixed 4x400m relays respectively.
Full team: Female 4x100m –Kemba Nelson, Alana Reid, Jodean Williams, Remona Burchell, Mickaell Moodie, Natasha Morrison, Yanique Dayle
4x400m & Mixed Relay –Stacey Ann Williams, Charokee Young, Leah Anderson, Ashley Williams, Junelle Bromfield, Janieve Russell, Tovea Jenkins, Roniesha Mcgregor
Male 4x100m –Ryiem Forde, Nigel Ellis, Bryan Levell, Kadrian Goldson, Odaine Mcpherson, Ackeem Blake, Javorne Dunkley
4x400m & Mixed Relay –Malik James-King, Rusheen Mcdonald, Zandrion Barnes, Roshawn Clarke, Demish Gaye, Anthony Cox, Karyme Bartley, Assinie Wilson, Sean Bailey
Management Team –Dennis May (Team Leader), Trevor Campbell (Team Official), Jennifer Brown (Team Official), Maurice Wilson (Technical Director), Paul Francis (Coach), Reynaldo Walcott (Coach), Mark Elliott (Coach), Yanique Weekes (Doctor), Garfield Simmonds (Medical)
Gardiner, Miller-Uibo headline 27-member Bahamas team for World Athletics Relays in Nassau
Olympic champions Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo were the standout names as the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) has officially confirmed its 27-member team for the World Athletics Relays set for May 4 and 5 at the refurbished Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.
The Bahamas is expected to compete in the Men’s and Women’s 4x100m Relays, the Men’s 4x400m Relay and the Mixed 4x400m Relay.
Newly crowned World Indoor 60m champion and record holder Devynne Charlton was named in a Women’s 4x100m Relay pool which also included Camille Rutherford, Printassia Johnson, Jamiah Nabbie, Shayann Demeritte, Nia Richards, Charisma Taylor and Pedrya Seymour.
The Men’s 4x100m Relay pool consists of Samson Colebrooke, Samalie Farrington, Ian Kerr, Carlos Brown, Deedro Clarke, Blake Bartlett, Jeremiah Adderley and Warren Fraser.
The Men’s 4x400m Relay team includes Gardiner, Alonzo Russell, Wendell Miller, Zion Shepard, Deedro Clarke, Zion Miller, Lhevinne Joseph and Shakeem Hall-Smith. Finally,
The Mixed 4x400m Relay team for The Bahamas will consist of Miller-Ubio, Anthonique Strachan, Lacarthea Cooper, Robynn Rolle-Curry, Steven Gardiner, Alonzo Russell, Wendell Miller and Zion Shepherd.
The Bahamas hosted the World Athletics Relays in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
Lyles to headline Racers Grand Prix at National Stadium on June 1
Much like he did last year, American Noah Lyles, could set this year's sixth staging of the Racers Grand Prix alight, as he is expected to be among a host of world class superstars to grace the National Stadium on June 1.
Lyles, who clocked a superb 19.67s to win the 200m, sharing the spotlight with Jamaica's Shericka Jackson and South African Wayde Van Niekerk last year, could line up in the men’s 100m on this occasion.
Along with Lyles, rising Jamaican sensation Oblique Seville is also said to be in line to contest the explosive 100m.
Also expected to be in action are World University champion Kadrian Goldson, World Championships bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes, Canadian Aaron Brown and American Kendal Williams.
The announcement was made at the event's launch which is currently ongoing at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
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