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.
Lamara Distin literally continues to soar to new heights each week.
Charokee Young ran a massive lifetime best and world-leading time to win the 400m over fellow Jamaican Stacey-Ann Williams at the Texas A&M vs Texas Dual Meeting at Bryan-College Station in Texas on Saturday.
Young, who had mixed results running indoors, has been a lot more assured outdoors as a week after running a 48.98 relay split at the Texas Relays, the 21-year-old Texas A&M sophomore stormed to victory in 50.00, obliterating Williams’ meet record of 51.34 set last year. It also moved her closer to Athing Mu’s facility record of 49.68 also set last year.
It was also a significant improvement over her previous best of 50.85 set last year May.
A fast time was clearly on the cards when Young took control mid-race surging past Texas’ Kennedy Simon to take the lead. Williams, the Texas Junior, responded to Young’s move and stormed past her teammate to challenge Young for the lead.
However, the former Hydel High 800m star never looked likely to yield and pulled away to win in the world-leading time.
Williams broke her own meet record clocking 50.56, the second-fastest time in the world for 2022 while Simon was third in a personal-best 50.68.
Young moves up to number two all-time on the Texas A&M Aggies women’s 400m list and jumped to number five among the collegiate performers on the all-time chart.
Johnathan Jones won the men’s race in a conference-leading and meet record 45.07. The Barbadian quarter-miler broke his own meet record of 45.82 that was set last year.
Texas A&M’s Emmanuel Bamidele finished second in 45.25 with Jones’ teammate Willington Wright taking third in 45.64.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s 100m, St Lucia’s Julien Alfred ran a personal best of 11.07 to take the victory over teammates Kynnedy Flannel 11.34 and Kevona Davis 11.37. Alfred’s time was a new meet record eclipsing Flannel’s record of 11.23 set last year.
Alfred was third in the 200m in 23.10. The race was won by A&M’s Laila Owens in a personal best and conference-leading 22.57. However, she just managed to hold off Texas’ Rhasidat Adeleke, who was second in 22.59.
In one of the more epic clashes of the day, former Texas A&M multi-sport star Tyra Gittens, now a senior at Texas equalled her personal best of 1.95m to win the high jump over former teammate, the in-form Lamara Distin (1.93).
Distin, who defeated Gittens at last month’s NCAA Indoor Nationals, led when she cleared 1.91m but a fired-up Gittens cleared 1.93 at her first attempt, snatching the lead from her former teammate. Distin managed to clear 1.93 on her third attempt.
However, the Trinidadian Olympian cleared 1.95m, a new meet and facility record, to secure victory after Distin failed all three attempts at that height.
Marleen Guerrero was third with her best clearance of 1.80m.
Gittens enjoyed further success on the day as she soared out to 6.58 to be second on the long jump won by Deborah Acquah of A&M with a new personal best, conference-leading and meet record 6.89m.
Ackelia Smith jumped 6.46m for third.
Jamaica and Texas A&M sophomore Lamara Distin claimed the women’s Long Jump title at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday.
Distin, who set the NCAA’s leading mark and national indoor record last month, got the better of Trinidad and Tobago and Texas Longhorns jumper Tyra Gittens. The Jamaican jumper equalled her best of 1.92 metres to win the event, with Gittens recording a season best of 1.89m to earn the silver medal. Third place went to South Carolina’s Rachel Glenn who recorded a mark of 1.86m.
Elsewhere, University of South Carolina’s Davonte Burnett claimed the men’s 60m title with a new personal best of 6.50. The Jamaican finished ahead of Indiana’s Rikkol Brathwaite, who was second in 6.52, with Tennessee’s Favour Ashe third in 6.55.
In other events, Wayne Lawrence of Iowa finished 7th in the men’s 400m, an event won by North Carolina’s Randolph Ross and Texas Tech’s Vashaun Vascianna finished just outside the medal places in the men’s 60 MH, which was won by Florida State’s Trey Cunningham.
Texas A&M Junior Charokee Young enters the South Eastern Conference (SEC) Indoor Championships at the Aggies Gilliam Indoor Stadium this weekend in perhaps the form of her life.
The former Hydel High School star, opened the season running 37.33 in the 300m at the Wooo Pig Classic, which ranks her 18th in collegiate history and then in her first race over 400m, won in 52.00 at the Charlie Thomas Invitational.
She then clocked an impressive 51.24 in the 400m at the Don Kirby Open to win in what the fourth-best time all-time indoors at Texas A&M that established her as the Aggies leading quarter-miler, replacing the outstanding Athing Mu, who went pro before winning gold medals in the 800m at the US trials and the Tokyo Olympics.
Herself a former 800m runner, Young believes her progress this season comes down to building on her success last season when she finished the Texas Tech Invitational with two event titles, winning the 400m at a time of 52.64 and ran the second leg on the 4x400m that won at 3:31.09, the second-fastest 4x400m in the NCAA in 2021 as well as clocking a personal best 400m time of 51.93 at the Charlie Thomas Invitational, the fifth-best performer in Aggie history.
The season culminated with her booking a ticket to Japan for her first Olympics.
“I honestly feel like what drove my improvement this year is just adding to what I had already learned last year. So instead of starting from zero, I started from 50 per cent,” said Young, who is looking beyond the NCAA to don Jamaica's colours in the individual 400m at the World Championships in Oregon in July.
“I am still trying to learn more in trying to improve my races.
“I feel like my experience in Tokyo really motivated me for this year to work hard and just go out and give it my best shot. I am really working hard this year so I wouldn’t be like an alternate, hopefully, I will be able to cement my spot on the team. So I am working hard so I can run faster and hopefully get a better result.”
Wanting to succeed for both school and country can be challenging for collegiate athletes. Navigating indoor and outdoor seasons with each having both regional and national competitions can be physically and mentally taxing.
Young acknowledges that reality but believes she is now better able to find that balance that will allow excelling at both.
“I do agree that the NCAA takes a toll on your body but if you can complete an NCAA circuit, it shouldn’t be a problem to push a couple more months to go to the World Championships. Last year was my first time doing it, so this year I will have an idea what it feels like so I will be way more prepared this year than last year,” she said.
With that in mind, she said, her primary goal this season is to improve each time she steps on the track. It is clear in her mind that if she keeps doing that, then doing well for Texas A&M and Jamaica will be achievable.
“I really don’t have a set time I want to achieve this year, I just hope to keep getting better and better, so my main goal this year is to end with a season-best,” she said.
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