Women bow into action at NCAA preliminaries

With the men having started their campaign for spots at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships at yesterday’s East and West Preliminary Round Track and Field Championships, the women will begin their quest for qualification when they bow into action today.

With the top 12 finishers in each individual event from both regions booking their tickets to Eugene, Oregon, Jamaica will have strong representation among the women, with three athletes ranked number one in their respective events — two in the East and one in the West.

Dejanea Oakley of the University of Georgia will lead the way today at the East Regionals in Lexington, Kentucky. Two weeks ago at the Southeastern Conference Championships in Auburn, she sped to a collegiate and world-leading 48.92 seconds to win the women’s 400 metres in impressive fashion. She is expected to continue her fine form and should easily advance to Saturday’s quarter-finals. Her teammate, Shaquena Foote, is also well placed to advance in the event, as she is ranked fourth with 50.62 seconds.

There will also be strong representation by Jamaican athletes in the women’s 100 metres in the East, with Shenese Walker of Florida State University leading the way. She is ranked second in the event with 10.80 seconds and is also 11th in the 200 metres with 22.65. Gabrielle Matthews of the University of Florida is ranked fifth in the 100 metres with 10.97 and fifth in the 200 metres with 22.41.

Also on the track in the East, Janela Spencer of the University of Ohio is ranked fifth in the women’s 100m hurdles with a best of 12.82, while Salieca Myles of Louisiana State University is 10th with 12.92 and Danae Nembhard, 12th with 12.93.

Shantae Foreman of Clemson is also ranked number-one in her event in the East with a best of 13.80 metres in the women’s triple jump. She is also ranked third in the long jump with 6.59. Cedricka Williams of Tennessee is ranked third in the women’s discus with 60.76 metres.

Tonie-Ann Forbes of Texas Tech University sits atop the rankings in the West in the women’s 100m hurdles with 12.75 seconds. Also on the track, Abigail Wolfe of the University of Texas is ranked third in the women’s 100 metres with 11.01, while Carleta Bernard, also of Texas, is fourth with 11.04. Bernard will also compete in the 200 metres, where she is ranked 11th with 22.68.

In the field events, Rhianna Phipps of Nebraska is ranked sixth in the women’s triple jump with 13.44 metres, while Abigail Martin of Texas A&M University is fifth in the women’s discus throw with 58.88 metres.