Forbes, Beckford, and Barrett secure victories in NCAA meets
Jamaica’s Marie Forbes of Clemson University, Romaine Beckford of the University of Arkansas, and Warren Barrett of Liberty University emerged victorious in their respective NCAA indoor meets this past weekend.
Forbes threw a season’s best and NCAA-leading 22.20m to win the women’s weight throw at the Clemson Invite that started on Friday. Her mark surpassed the 21.86m she had thrown at another meet held at Clemson in December. Her teammate, Daniel Cope, took the men’s equivalent with a toss of 21.19m.
Beckford, who transferred from the University of South Florida for his final season of eligibility, won the men’s high jump at the Arkansas Invite at the Randal Tyson Complex with 2.19m, the third-best in the NCAA so far. Competing for Arkansas for the first time and jumping off just a four-step approach, Beckford needed three attempts to clear 2.11m, cleared 2.16m on his first attempt before using all three attempts at 2.19m.
At the Burg Open at Liberty Indoor Complex in Virginia, Barrett of Liberty University returned from an almost yearlong lay-off to win the men’s shot put with 18.86m, the fourth-best in the NCAA so far.
At the Harvey Glance Tide and Tigers Dual meet in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Thursday, Danae Nembhard of Auburn won the women’s 60m hurdles in 8.37 seconds. Abigail Schaaffe of the University of Minnesota won the women’s 400m at the Leonard Hilton Memorial at the University of Houston, running 56.11 seconds.
Clemson University’s Tarees Rhoden ran a personal best 1:16.10 seconds in the 600m at the Clemson meet, beating his previous best of 1:17.16 seconds set at the same meet two years ago. Oneka Wilson of Clemson was third overall in the women’s 60m hurdles in 8.31 seconds.
Former Mt Alvernia High standout Carleta Bernard of the University of Texas was third overall in the women’s 200m at the Rod McCravy meet at the University of Kentucky, running 23.93 seconds in her first indoor race.
Jumps specialist Ackelia Smith also of Texas was sixth in 24.39 seconds while freshman jumper Alliyah Foster ran 25.21 seconds. Dejanae Oakley of Texas ran 38.15 seconds for third in the women’s 300m which was won by Jamaican-born Lanae Taca-Thomas in 36.51 seconds, while Onieka McAnnuff of Kentucky was seventh in 38.80 seconds.
Foster of Texas finished seventh in her first indoor long jump competition with 5.71m. Former St Elizabeth Technical athlete Alliyah McNeil of the University of Minnesota had two second-place finishes, clearing 1.80m in the high jump and 6.17m in the long jump.
At the Arkansas Invite at the Randal Tyson Complex, Ackera Nugent won the women’s 60m in 7.35 seconds after running 7.34 seconds to lead the qualifiers. Joanne Reid of the University of Arkansas was fifth in 7.45 seconds after running 7.47 seconds earlier. Reid was second in the 200m in 23.44 seconds, and Nia Robinson, also of Arkansas, was third in the women’s high jump at 1.75m. Former BB Coke High runner Javed Jones of the University of Louisiana was third in the men’s 600m at the LSU Purple Tiger meet in 1:21.35 seconds.