Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

Former St Jago star athlete Natasha Ruddock. - file

NEW YORK:

A number of Jamaican athletes showed fine indoor form at the New Balance Collegiate meet, staged at the Armory in New York on the weekend.

Leading the way for the Jamaicans was former Vere Technical and national junior representative Kimberly Williams. Williams, who attends Florida State University, leapt to an impressive 13.72 metres to win the Open female triple jump. She improved on the 13.43m she did in Florida the previous week to register a year's best for collegiate athletes. Former Mount Alvernia and St Jago High past student Andrea Linton, now attending Louisiana State University (LSU), was second with 13.21m.

GC Foster College graduate Petagaye Beckford was also in winning form. Competing for Arkansas University, she captured the long jump open event with a leap of 6.36m, as Williams (6.22m) and Linton (6.17m) finished second and fifth, respectively.

Former Morant Bay High athlete Kimona Smith and St Jago High's Sasha Kaye Matthias also had good results in the long and triple jump events.

Impressive

Competing for North Carolina A&T University, Smith won the College triple jump with 12.20m while finishing fourth in the long jump with 5.97m.

Matthias, competing for Essex County College, had a personal record of 6.04m to finish second in the long jump.

On the track, former Queen's athlete Samantha Henry and St Jago High's Natasha Ruddock were very impressive as they lost in close finishes.

Henry, competing for LSU, had a battle royal with teammate Kellyann Baptiste in the 60m dash, as both went to the line together, with the Trinidadian getting the victory in a leading collegiate time of 7.17, and Henry taking second in 7.18. Former Herbert Morrison athlete, Nickeisha Anderson, of Kansas University, took fourth in 7.28, while Texas A&M University's Simone Facey had to settle for fifth in 7.29.

In the 200 metres, Henry was third overall in 23.54 as Baptiste got second in 23.46. Texas A&M's Porscha Lewis was awarded victory in 23.33. Facey actually crossed the line first but was disqualified for a lane violation.

Ruddock, competing for Essex County College, produced an impressive run in the 60m hurdles. Competing among the top hurdlers from Division 1 schools, Ruddock, who finished third at the recent Millrose Games, showed that her run was no fluke.

With pre-race favourite Nickeisha Wilson out in the preliminary round because of a false start, her teammate Jessica Ohaja (of LSU) had to dig deep to stave off Ruddock's challenge. Ohaja won in 8.12, just edging out the former St Jago star who clocked 8.13. Ruddock, who can compete at this year's World Junior Championships, smashed her own Essex school record of 8.24. Former Queen's standout, Latoya Greaves, of Oklahoma, was third in 8.31.

Good performances

Other good performances by Jamaicans came from former GC Foster College athlete Taneisha Wisdom, Edwin Allen's Kayon Thompson, and Holmwood's Celia Whyte.

Representing Maryland Eastern Shore, Wisdom was third in the 400 metres in 53.68; Thompson, now competing for LSU was third in the 800m open in 2:07.52; while Whyte, competing for Maryland Eastern Shores, won the College 800m in 2:11.30. Former Edwin Allen standout, Mareissa Pencil, competing for Kansas University, was third in 2:12.28.

Former Calabar athlete Sheldon Leith was the top performer among the men. He captured the College 60 metres Hurdles in 7.73 seconds for Oklahoma University.

Another former GC Foster College athlete, Allodin Fothergill, was also impressive in only his second indoors 400 metres. Representing Maryland Eastern Shore University, Fothergill placed third in 47.00. His teammate at the Senior PanAm Championships last year, former St Jago High athlete Dwight Mullings out of Essex County College, was third in 47.48.

Former Wolmer's Boys athlete Julian Reid and Kingston College's Alain Bailey were third and fourth, respectively, in their events. Reid, competing for Texas A&M, ended third in the long jump with 7.72m while Bailey, now at Arkansas University, took fourth in the high jump with 2.09m.