Silver for Foreman in NCAA long jump

LONG jumper Shantae Foreman, representing Clemson University, delivered Jamaica’s best result so far at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday.

Foreman secured a second-place finish in the women’s long jump final with a personal best leap of 6.69 metres. She finished behind Stanford University’s Alyssa Jones who set a meet record with a jump of 7.06m. The other Jamaican in the event, Aaliyah Lindsay of Kansas State, placed eighth with 6.44m.

In the women's shot put, Britannie Johnson of Purdue University finished 20th with a throw of 16.02m.

Following the semi-final rounds on the track, eight Jamaicans, led by Dejanea Oakley, have qualified for their respective finals which will take place on today's  final day of women’s competition.

Oakley, representing the University of Georgia, appears poised for a strong performance in the 400m final. She won her semi-final heat in 49.93 seconds, the only sub-50 run of the evening. The world leader with a season's and personal best 48.92, Oakley will run from lane six in the final.

Two other Jamaicans in the 400m event did not advance. Skyler Franklin, competing for Louisiana State University, finished sixth in her heat in 51.02  while Rushana Dwyer of Northwestern State also placed sixth in her heat in 51.77.

Shenese Walker of Florida State and Gabriell Matthews of the University of Florida both advanced to the women’s 100m final. Walker, Jamaica’s fastest woman this season with 10.80 seconds, won her heat in 10.94 to qualify as the third-fastest entrant and will run from lane six. Matthews won her heat in 11.01 and qualified sixth overall, earning lane four.

British Virgin Islands athlete Adaejah Hodge of the University of Georgia was the fastest qualifier after lowering her world-leading mark from 10.77  to an impressive personal best of 10.63. Her performance set both meet and facility records, surpassing Sha’Carri Richardson’s previous collegiate mark of 10.75.

Carleta Bernard of the University of Texas did not advance after finishing fifth in her heat in 11.17.

Janela Spencer of Ohio State and Tonie-Ann Forbes of Texas Tech advanced to the women’s 100m hurdles final. Spencer finished second in her heat and fourth overall in 12.77 seconds, while Forbes placed fourth in her heat and seventh overall in 12.86.

Oneika Wilson of Clemson missed qualification, finishing third in her heat in 12.93, placing 11th overall.

Matthews will also compete in the women’s 200m final after finishing second in her heat with a personal best of 22.72 seconds. 

In the field events, three Jamaicans will compete in finals. Foreman will look to build on her long jump success when she contests the triple jump final.

Abigail Martin of Texas A&M will compete in the discus final, while Annishka McDonald will take part in the high jump.