Bahamian Kyle Alcine, Guyana's Chantoba Bright claim victories at Kansas State Winter Invitational

By December 14, 2021

Several Caribbean athletes were on show as the NCAA Indoor Track & Field season continued at the Kansas State Winter Invitational on December 11.

Bahamian Kyle Alcine, competing for Kansas State, won the high jump with a clearance of 2.05m.

Alcine, the silver medallist at the NACAC Under 23 Championships in Costa Rica earlier this year, finished ahead of Kansas State teammate Kamyren Garrett who also cleared 2.05 metres and Kaleb Clark of William Carey jumped 1.95 for third.

 Guyana’s Chantoba Bright, also representing Kansas State, was also a winner at the meet soaring out to 13.31 metres to win the triple jump.

Bright, who won a silver medal in the same event at the recently concluded Pan Am Junior Championships in Colombia, finished ahead of Allanah Lee of Oklahoma who jumped out to 12.28m and Nevagant Jones of William Carey who was third with 11.77m.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Fredricka McKenzie, competing for William Carey University, was second in the Women’s 60 metres in 7.52.

McKenzie is a former Edwin Allen High School student who narrowly missed out on an individual medal at Jamaica’s Boys and Girls High School Track & Field Championships or “Champs” on two separate occasions. She was fourth in the Girls Class One 200m in 2018 and a year later, fourth in the Girls Class One 100m.

The race was won by Wurrie Njadoe of Kansas State in 7.45 while her teammate Velecia Williams was third in 7.54.

Williams is a former Hydel High School student, who won silver medals in both the long and triple jump at the 2018 CARIFTA Games in The Bahamas.

Another Jamaican representing Kansas State, Taishia Pryce, finished fourth in 7.60.

Pryce, a former student at the St. Andrew Technical High School, also ran 39.35 to finish second in the Women’s 300m that Njadoe won in 38.42, a new meet record.

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    McClaren also offered words on Nicholson’s return.

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    “Speaking to him this week, he’s focused and fitter. He feels ready to contribute to our team so we’re delighted to have him,” he added.

    Joining Bailey and Nicholson among the forwards in the squad are Michail Antonio, Kaheim Dixon, Romario Williams, Renaldo Cephas and Demarai Gray.

    Queen’s Park Rangers holding midfielder Isaac Hayden is part of the squad for the first time since committing his international future to the Reggae Boyz.

    “The JFF has been chasing him for quite some time. I’ve had about two or three calls with him since I took the job. He’s desperate to play and he’s at that stage in his career where he needs to kick on and this is one of the ways that he can,” McClaren said.

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    Joining him in the midfield in the are Joel Latibeaudiere, Karoy Anderson, Kasey Palmer and Tyreek Magee.

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    Captain Andre Blake, Jahmali Waite and Shaquan Davis are the goalkeepers.

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    “There are times when I’m in London and want to go to a game and I have no one to travel with so it was always my dream to create a database to say listen, who’s going to the game from where,” Walters added.

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    The third quarterfinal features second-ranked Canada going up against Suriname. Canada, who pre-qualified based on their Concacaf ranking, will face a determined Suriname team that finished second in Group A behind Costa Rica. The first leg of their matchup will be played on November 15, with the second leg scheduled for November 19.

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