St. Jago High School is now searching for a new head coach for their girls track and field team as Keilando Goburn has left the institution.
Goburn, who coached the St. Jago girls team for 16 years, will take his knowledge overseas and take up the role of assistant coach for track and field and cross country at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
During Goburn’s 16 years at the helm of St. Jago’s girls team, they were consistently one of the best performing schools at “champs,” always finding themselves in the top five of the points standings when all was said and done.
Goburn also has had a hand in the development of some of the country’s most promising young athletes including the likes of NCAA Indoor 60m champion Brianna Lyston who started her high school career at St. Jago before making the switch to Hydel High.
2024 NCAA Indoor 800m champion Rivaldo Marshall will be rocking new colors when fans see him competing on the NCAA circuit this upcoming season.
The 22-year-old former Calabar High standout has swapped Iowa City for Fayetteville after transferring to the University of Arkansas from the University of Iowa where he spent his Junior season.
Prior to transferring to Iowa last year, Marshall went to Indian Hills Community College where he enjoyed a lot of success on the NJCAA circuit.
He won the 2022 NJCAA Outdoor 800m title before winning the NJCAA Indoor 800m title a year later.
Marshall was also a seven-time NJCAA All-American.
He has personal bests of 1:45.86 outdoors and 1:46.86 indoors. Both those times were achieved in 2024.
Former Edwin Allen standout Rushana Dwyer will be competing on the NCAA Division 1 circuit next season after transferring to the University of South Florida (USF).
Dwyer competed on the NJCAA circuit for the last two seasons for South Plains Community College in Texas.
In 2023, Dwyer ran 2:10.63 to take top spot in the 800m at the NJCAA Championships in New Mexico while also running as part of South Plains’ title-winning 4x400m relay quartet.
This year, Dwyer established new personal best in the 400m both indoors and outdoors.
Her outdoor personal best of 53.68 came in a winning effort at the Texas Tech Corky/Crofoot Shootout in Texas in April while her indoor mark of 55.64 came in a third-place finish at the Jarvis Scott Open, also in Texas, in February.
Her 800m personal best 2:08.27 came back in 2022.
Dejanea Oakley has swapped the Big 12 Conference for the South East Conference (SEC) after completing a transfer from the University of Texas to the University of Georgia.
The 20-year-old former Clarendon College standout competed at the University of Texas in 2023 and 2024, with the latter being her most successful season to date.
She established new personal best in the 100m (11.38), 200m (22.60) and 400m (51.75) this season.
That 200m time came on her way to winning the Big 12 Outdoor title in May. She subsequently made it to the semi-finals of the 200m at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships in Eugene in June where she finished sixth in 22.82 in her heat.
Those outdoor exploits came after Oakley won the 200m-400m double at the Big 12 Indoor Championships in Lubbock, Texas in February.
Most recently, Oakley competed in the 200m at the Jamaican National Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston from June 27-30.
She ran 22.66 for fourth in the women’s 200m final behind Shericka Jackson (22.29), Lanae-Tava Thomas (22.34) and Niesha Burgher (22.39).
Internationally, Oakley took 400m bronze at the 2023 Pan Am U-20 Championships in Puerto Rico and was a finalist at the World U-20 Championships in Colombia in 2022.
She was also part of Jamaica’s silver medal-winning quartet in the women’s 4x400m at those 2022 World U-20 Championships.
Jamaican Texas A&M junior Kimar Farquharson continued his winning ways in the 800m this season with victory at the Alumni Muster held in College Station, Texas on Saturday.
The former Calabar High star was in dominant form, winning the event in 1:47.26, a new meet record.
More than two seconds behind Farquharson in second was teammate Caden Norris (1:49.62) while Tracksmith’s Luca Chatham was third in 1:50.71.
This was Farquharson’s second 800m win of the season as he ran 1:46.69 to beat countrymen Navasky Anderson and Tarees Rhoden to victory at the Tom Jones Memorial in Florida on April 13.
Interestingly, the 22-year-old has also established a new personal best in the 400m this season with 45.70 at the Battle of the Bayou in Baton Rouge on March 30.
Louisiana State University (LSU) Sophomore Brianna Lyston produced a sizzling 10.87w (2.6 m/s) to finish second overall at the 2024 Battle on the Bayou at the Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Saturday.
Lyston, who earlier this season claimed both the SEC and NCAA Indoor 60m titles, produced her first sub-11 time to finish in a close second behind Favour Ofili of Tiger Olympians who won in 10.85.
McKenzie Long of Ole Miss was third in 10.89.
Interestingly, this was Lyston's first 100m race since the Class One final at the 2022 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships.
Elsewhere, LSU’s Jahiem Stern ran 13.43 for third in the men’s 110m hurdles behind the Texas A&M pair Jaqualon Scott (13.34) and Connor Schulman (13.42).
Mississippi State’s Tyrese Reid ran a personal best 1:45.76 for second in the men’s 800m won by Texas A&M’s Sam Whitmarsh in 1:44.46.
Marcus Dropik of Ole Miss ran 1:47.82 in third.
In the field, Kentucky’s Luke Brown produced 16.40m to take the win in the men’s triple jump ahead of Ole Miss’s Iangelo Atkinstall-Daley (15.25m) and Georgia’s Zavien Wolfe (14.84m).
Louisiana State University (LSU) Sophomore sensation Brianna Lyston has signed a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal with Adidas.
The 19-year-old made the announcement in an Instagram post on Monday.
“Philippians 2:13 ‘For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.’ Blessed to announce my partnership with adidas through NIL,” she wrote.
Sources indicate that she has no plans to opt out of school but plans to complete her education at LSU.
Lyston, the 2022 World U-20 200m champion, has had an excellent start to her second season at the Baton Rouge-based University.
She is currently the collegiate leader in the women’s 60m with her 7.07 effort to win at the Razorback Invitation on January 27 in Arkansas.
The former St. Jago and Hydel High standout also ran 23.13 for third in the 200m at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic on February 2.
Louisiana State University (LSU) Sophomore Brianna Lyston has been named by the US Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as its National Athlete of the Week for January 30, 2024.
Lyston lined up alongside Kaila Jackson and Jadyn Mays for the final of the 60 meters at the Razorback Invitational this past weekend.
Jackson and Mays were both tied at No. 4 on the all-time collegiate chart in the event with their 7.07 efforts from the NCAA DI Indoor Track & Field Championships last year in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Well, Jackson and Mays have company at No. 4 after Lyston blew the doors off the competition.
Lyston ripped the straightaway in 7.07 for the second-fastest season debut in collegiate history behind 2023 The Bowerman winner Julien Alfred’s 7.02 one year ago. The LSU standout won the final by 0.13 seconds and lowered her PR by a whopping 0.22 seconds over the course of the day.
This is the second week in a row that a female athlete from LSU has been named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week. Michaela Rose previously earned national weekly honors after a collegiate record-setting jaunt over 600 yards.
Georgia Bulldogs duo Jehlani Gordon and Daszay Freeman were both winners at Saturday’s TRACK at new balance Collegiate Showdown in Boston.
Gordon, the former Wolmer’s Boys star, produced 6.63 to win the men’s 60m ahead of Northeastern’s Ethan Exilhomme (6.69) and South Carolina’s Anthony Greenhow (6.74). Earlier, Gordon made it through to the final as the fastest qualifier with a time of 6.70.
The 20-year-old also took top spot at the Clemson Invitational on January 12 with a personal best 6.60.
Freeman, a senior at Georgia who previously competed at the University of Arkansas, ran 8.24 to win the women’s 60m hurdles ahead of teammate Bella Witt (8.26) and UCONN’s Jailya Ash (8.28).
In the field, Rutgers’ Celine Brown jumped 6.20m to take the women’s long jump ahead pf teammate Alexis Willis (6.02m) and Georgia’s Karsen Phillips (5.47m).
Former Jamaican hurdler Danny McFarlane has been appointed as sprints and hurdles coach as Southern Nazarene University.
“Well, let’s see how good of a coach I am,” McFarlane said in a post on Facebook reacting to the news.
“I’m ready for this challenge. Jamaica big up!” he added.
McFarlane competed for the University of Oklahoma before embarking on a professional career that lasted for 15 years.
He took silver in the 400m hurdles at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and another silver medal in the 4x400m relay four years later in Beijing.
McFarlane is also a five-time World Championship silver medallist, a World Indoor champion and a two-time World Indoor bronze medallist.
St Lucia’s trailblazing sprinter Julien Alfred has won yet another award for her exploits during the recently concluded USA collegiate season. The recent graduate of the University of Texas was on Wednesday named the Big 12 Women's Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, a testament to her dedication and excellence.
Alfred's track record is nothing short of astounding. With her electrifying speed, she clinched the NCAA Indoor 60m title and went on to secure the Outdoor 100m and 200m titles.
Her dominance was underscored by an undefeated streak in the 100m throughout the season, culminating in a dazzling performance that concluded in June. In addition, Alfred etched her name in history by recording the second fastest time ever over 200m indoors, clocking an astonishing 22.01 seconds, trailing only behind Merlene Ottey's legendary 21.87 set in 1993.
Her remarkable achievements have not gone unnoticed, as Alfred recently transitioned to the professional ranks, signing with Puma. The stage is set for her to compete in the 100m and 200m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest from August 19-27, where she aims to continue her meteoric rise.
Beyond her prowess on the track, Alfred's commitment to academic excellence shines brightly. The graduate student in youth and community studies at the University of Texas boasts an impressive 3.34 GPA and a notable 71 per cent participation rate. Her dedication to both her athletic and academic pursuits culminated in her being named the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year, a well-deserved honor after her triumph in clinching five national titles and aiding UT in securing the outdoor NCAA Championship. Her achievements have also been acknowledged by the USTFCCA, which bestowed upon her the prestigious National Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolade.
In July, Alfred's exceptional accomplishments were further highlighted as she was crowned the 2023 USTFCCCA's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Her legacy as a four-time Big 12 Performer of the Year and a 12-time Big 12 individual champion underscores her consistent excellence and unwavering commitment to her sport.
The Big 12 Conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, established in 2012-13, serves as a testament to the intersection of athletic achievement and academic excellence. The honor recognizes individuals who embody exceptional commitment both on the field and in the classroom. Alfred's achievement underscores her remarkable journey, as she met the criteria of a junior or senior in athletic and academic standing, with a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher, active participation in at least 20% of the team's scheduled contests, and a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.
Julien Alfred, Ackelia Smith and Jaydon Hibbert capped their respective impressive seasons with regional awards for the 2023 NCAA Division I Track and Field season announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Jamaican-born Mark Elliott was named Southeast Region Men’s Head Coach of the Year.
Alfred, who hails from St Lucia, the South Central Region Female Track Athlete of the Year, capped a record-breaking, undefeated season at the 2023 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships, where she won the 100, 200 and led off the winning 4×100 relay.
Her wind-aided mark in the 100-meter final of 10.72 equaled the fastest all-conditions effort in collegiate history, while her wind-aided mark in the 200 of 21.73 is the fastest all-conditions time in collegiate history. Alfred ran the opening leg of a Texas 4×100 relay that obliterated the collegiate record twice this season, ultimately to 41.55 in Austin.
Smith, who hails from Clarendon, Jamaica, is the South Central Female Field Athlete of the Year. She won the long jump and finished runner-up in the triple jump at the 2023 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Her mark in the triple jump of 14.54m made her the third-best performer in collegiate history. Smith made waves at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, too, when she soared 7.08m in the long jump to become the second-best performer in collegiate history behind Tara Davis.
Hibbert, who won more than a handful of awards in this is freshman year, was the co-South Central Region Field Athlete of the Year.
Hibbert, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, capped an undefeated season in the triple jump with a victory at the 2023 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He bounded 17.56m to record the fourth-farthest mark in collegiate history.
That was his second-best effort of the season, because earlier at the SEC Outdoor Championships, he shattered the collegiate record – and set an all-time World U20 outdoor best – with his majestic 17.87m, a personal best.
Hibbert’s coach Travis Geopfert, the Associate Head Coach at Arkansas, earns recognition as the Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year in the South Central Region.
Geopfert’s event group played a significant role in Arkansas’ success, scoring 31 of the team’s 53 points, leading them to finish as the NCAA team runner-up.
Notably, Hibbert, a freshman coached by Geopfert, emerged as the SEC Field Athlete of the Year, remaining undefeated in the triple jump and winning the NCAA title by a remarkable two-foot margin. Moreover, Arkansas became only the third school in NCAA history to achieve a 1-2 finish in the long jump, with Carey McLeod and Wayne Pinnock securing the top two positions.
Geopfert’s coaching expertise also contributed to Arkansas winning the SEC team title, with the team scoring 69 out of 149 points. With 11 years of coaching experience at Arkansas, Travis Geopfert specializes in coaching jumps and combined events.
Elliott, the Southeast Region Men’s Head Coach of the Year, in his 10th year as Director of Track & Field at Clemson, led the Tigers to the team title at the ACC Outdoor Championships, winning four events. Clemson was in 10th place the ACC Championships before moving up to win on the final day. His athletes earned six entries to the 2023 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships, including Giano Roberts, who set a school record of 13.31 in the 110 hurdles.
World Athletics Under-20 championships gold medallist Ackera Nugent has moved from Baylor University to the University of Arkansas.
The former Excelsior High star runner, who won gold in the 100m hurdles at the world junior championships in Nairobi, Kenya in 2021, had attended Baylor for the past two seasons.
On Wednesday, Nugent, the World U-20 indoor record holder in the 60m hurdles, posted a photograph of herself on Instagram wearing a University of Arkansas shirt while clearing a hurdle with the word ‘Arkansas’ on it.
“Rule #3, forget ATTENTION and GROW in PRIVATE. I spoke less and God did the rest. (Psalms 27:1),” she captioned the post.
At Arkansas, she will join several 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.
Jamaica jumper Lamara Distin took top spot at the Southeastern Conference Championships, on Friday, adding to an already impressive run of results this season.
Distin, who has broken the national long jump record several times in the last several months, kept her concentration to dominate the field after a six-hour weather delay. Eventually, the Texas A&M athlete posted an event-winning mark of 1.95m to complete the SEC indoor and outdoor high jump title sweep.
The athlete finished ahead of South Carolina’s Rachel Glenn who recorded a best of 1.86m and LSU’s Nyagoa Bayak who finished third with 1.86m on the countback. The in-form Distin also had three attempts at 1.99m but failed to clear the bar.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
