Once again, it was an exceptional weekend for collegiate track and field for The Bahamas, as a new national record was established, and four national junior champions were crowned.
Leading the way was Eleuthera native Andre Colebrook in the men's 800 meters (m). Colebrook ran a time of 1:51.35 to break his own indoor national record in the event, at the 2014 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Colebrook, from Essex County College, held off Dontavious Wright from Hinds Community College and Michael Kinuthia from Colby Community College for the win. Wright finished, in 1:52.38, and Kinuthia was third in, 1:52.78. Colebrook had the fourth fastest qualifying time in the heats, running 1:55.10.
It was a one-two finish for The Bahamas in the men's triple jump, as the sensational identical twins of Latario and Lathone Collie-Minns, in their second years at Iowa Western Community College, finished first and second respectively, with best jumps of 16.80m (55' 1-1/2") and 15.87m (52' 1") respectively. Sabelo (Ntokozo) Ndlovu, from Monroe College, was third with a best leap of 15.29m (50' 2"). The winning jump was a personal best for Latario.
Bahamian Ashley Riley, from Colby, also experienced success this past weekend, as he ran 1:18.67 for the national junior title in the 600m. He ran 1:19.62 in the heats. Rashard Clark, from Western Texas College, finished second, in 1:19.72, and Fabian Hayles, from Colby, was third, in 1:19.73.
The fourth NJCAA title for The Bahamas this past weekend came from Racquel Williams in the women's shot put. Representing Coffeyville Community College, Williams had a best throw of 15.01m (49' 3") for the gold medal. Jamaican Gleneve Grange from New Mexico Junior College, finished second with a best throw of 14.20m (46' 7"), and Anna Linton, from Cloud County Community College, had a best throw of 13.68m (44' 11"), for third. Bahamian Racquel Williams was also seventh, in the weight throw, with a best distance of 15.03m (49' 4").
In the men's 400m, Bahamian O'Jay Ferguson from Essex, won the silver medal with a time of 47.46 seconds. He ran 47.69 seconds in the heats. Alfred Larry, from Butler County Community College, won the gold medal, in 47.29 seconds, Ferguson took the silver, and Michael Newton from Hinds captured the bronze medal, in 47.73 seconds.
The only other individual medal for The Bahamas at the NJCAA Championships this past weekend came from Desmond Major in the men's heptathlon. Major, from Colby, scored 4,596 points for the bronze medal. Simon Gyllensten, from Vincennes University, scored 5,366 points for the gold medal, and Darrius Brown, from Iowa Central Community College, had 4,634 points for the silver medal.
Also, Grand Bahamian Alexis Smith, from Essex, was fourth in the women's 60m hurdles this past weekend, in 8.72 seconds. She ran 8.77 seconds in the heats, and was 26th overall in the women's 60m with a time of 8.11 seconds. Meanwhile, Jennaya Hield, from Essex, was sixth in both the 1,000m and the one mile run this past weekend. She ran 3:07.61 in the 1,000m after qualifying in a stunning time of 3:02.31, and she came back to run 5:19.16 in the mile. Her training partner Kadeisha Hield was 14th overall in the women's 400m, in 58.41 seconds.
In the men's 60m, Blake Bartlett, from Western Texas, was 13th overall, in 6.87 seconds, and in the 200m, he was 16th overall, in 21.85 seconds.
Bahamians were apart of one final NJCAA title this weekend, but it came in the relays. Kadeisha and Jennaya Hield were a part of Essex's winning distance medley relay team. Kadeisha ran the second leg, and Jennaya ran the third leg. They finished in 12:17.15, Vincennes won the silver medal, in 12:18.68, and Pima Pima Community College finished third, in 12:24.29. They were also a part of Essex's second place 4x800m relay team, and once again ran the second and third legs respectively. That team finished in 9:34.53. Iowa Central won the gold medal, in 9:33.31, and Gillette College won the bronze medal, in 9:36.30. In the women's 4x400m relay, Kadeisha Hield ran the third leg for Essex's fifth place team. That team finished in 3:50.83.
In the men's 4x400m relay, Andre Colebrook ran the third leg and O'Jay Ferguson anchored Essex's third place team. That team finished in 3:11.39. Ashley Riley ran the third leg for Colby's fifth place team. That team ran 3:14.43. Hinds won the gold medal, in 3:10.63, Western Texas was second, in 3:11.25, Essex was third, and Iowa Western finished fourth ahead of Colby, in 3:14.09.
The 2014 NJCAA Championships were hosted by Monroe College at the New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory, in New York City.
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