Jones (9.93) and Benjamin (10.11) advance to 100m at NCAA Championships; Hibbert (16.81m) advances in the triple jump
The pair advanced from the quarterfinals held on day three of the NCAA West Regionals in Sacramento on Friday.
Jones, the Bahamian Texas Tech junior, produced a time of 9.93, just .2 seconds slower than his personal best and national record-equaling 9.91 done earlier this season, to advance to the semis second-fastest from the West region. The 20-year-old also ran 20.21 to advance in the 200m.
Benjamin, the Trinidadian Minnesota Junior and reigning Big 10 100m champion, set a new personal best of 10.11 to advance. His countryman and Minnesota teammate, Carlon Hosten, ran 20.49 to advance in the 200m.
In the 400m, St. Lucian Kansas Junior Michael Joseph, advanced with 45.23
Jamaican Arkansas Junior Phillip Lemonious ran 13.45 to progress in the 110m hurdles. Joining him in Texas will be Bahamian Texas Tech freshman Antoine Andrews (13.74).
In the field, world leader and world junior record holder, Jaydon Hibbert, produced 16.81m to advance in the triple jump alongside teammates and countrymen Ryan Brown (16.25m) and Carey McLeod (15.88m).
Hibbert, still only 18, famously jumped an absurd 17.87m at the SEC Outdoor Championships on May 13, setting a new world lead, collegiate record and world under-20 record in the process.
Roje Stona (65.54m) and Ralford Mullings (61.74m), both of Arkansas, advanced in the discus. Stona also threw 19.89m to advance in the shot put.
On Wednesday, the Arkansas pair of Wayne Pinnock and Carey McLeod jumped 8.05m and 7.80m, respectively, to advance in the long jump. The Jamaican pair were the top two finishers at the SEC Outdoor Championships.
Meanwhile on the women’s side, their countrywoman, Texas sophomore Ackelia Smith, jumped 6.69m to lead all qualifiers. Nebraska’s Velecia Williams (6.37m) also advanced.
Smith is fresh off a personal best 7.08m, the furthest legal jump in the world this year, to win at the Big 12 Championships earlier in May.
At the Eastern Regionals in Jacksonville, Florida’s Jevaughn Powell (46.68), and North Carolina A&T’s Shemar Chambers (46.89) both made it through in the 400m.
In the sprint hurdles, Caymanian Tennessee senior Rasheem Brown ran 13.45 to advance alongside Jamaican Syracuse junior Jaheem Hayles (13.67).
Defending Jamaican national champion Navasky Anderson of Mississippi State (1:49.43) and Tarees Rhoden of Clemson (1:49.70) both made it through in the 800m.
