Raymond Graham, Freelance Writer

Kimberly Williams ... in golden form for Florida State last weekend. - File

NEW YORK:

THE SPARKLING two-day New Balance Collegiate indoor track and field meet at the Armory in New York came to an end last Saturday evening.

Most of the top NCAA Division One teams were in action and a host of top Jamaican athletes attending those colleges took part.

The large number of spectators who turned out to witness the annual affair were not disappointed, as they witnessed some top-class action as athletes tuned up for the major indoor championships which will be held in a few weeks time.

impressive Williams

Leading the way for the Jamaicans was former Vere Technical and national junior representative Kimberly Williams. Williams, who just recently started at Florida State University, leapt an impressive 13.72 metres to win the Open female triple jump event. She improved on her 13.43m done in Florida the previous week to soar to the top as the best jump so far among collegiate athletes. Her former Mount Alvernia and St. Jago High teammate, Andrea Linton, now attending Louisiana State University, was second with 13.21m.

Former Holmwood Technical and G.C. Foster graduate Peta-gaye Beckford was also in a winning mood as, representing Arkansas University, she captured the long jump Open event with a leap of 6.36m. Williams (6.22m) and Linton (6.17m) had to settle for second and fifth respectively.

It was indeed a good meet for the Jamaican jumpers as former Morant Bay High athlete Kimona Smith and St. Jago High's Sasha Kaye Matthias had good results.

Competing for North Carolina A&T University, Smith won the College triple jump with 12.20ms and finished 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.

close finishes

On the track, former Queen's athlete Samantha Henry and St Jago High's Natasha Ruddock were impressive while losing in close finishes.

Henry, competing for Louisiana State (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 seconds and Henry taking second in 7.18.

Former Herbert Morrison athlete Nickeisha Anderson, competing for 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 200m, Henry finished third in 23.54 seconds as Baptiste got second in 23.46. Texas A&M's Porscha Lewis was awarded victory in 23.33 as Facey, who won in a close finish, was disqualified for lane violation.

Ruddock, competing for Essex County College, advertised the impressive talent of Jamaica hurdlers. Competing among the top guns from Division One schools, Ruddock, who finished third at the Millrose Games in the 60m hurdles the previous week, 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 the challenge of Ruddock as she won in 8.12 seconds, just edging out the former St. Jago star in 8.13 seconds.

Ruddock, who has qualified for this year's World Junior Championships, smashed her own Essex school record of 8.24 seconds and her time rates her among the top six in college this year.