media_artricles :: 2013

SUPER SILVER!

T&T's Wayne Davis II sets national record at NCAA Championships

Texas A&M University student Wayne Davis II seized silver in the men's 60 metres hurdles at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Indoor Track and Field Championships, in Arkansas, USA, late on Saturday.

The Trinidad and Tobago sprint hurdler got home in 7.59 seconds. The clocking was a new national record, bettering the 7.65 standard established by Davis a couple weeks ago. The 7.59 run is also a Texas A&M record.

Gold and bronze in Saturday's sprint hurdles final went to Americans Eddie Lovett and Spencer Adams, respectively. Lovett, a student at the University of Florida, stopped the clock at 7.50 seconds—a new meet record—while Clemson University's Adams got to the line in 7.60.

In an interview published on the Texas A&M website, www.aggieathletics.com, Davis said: "I wanted to run faster, but I'm pretty happy with the time and breaking the school record…I was confident I could challenge Eddie here in the NCAA final. Things didn't quite work out like I wanted them to.

"I just like the thought," Davis continued, "that I'm going to have a big picture of myself on the back wall of our indoor stadium for setting a school record. That's all I've been waiting for."

Deon Lendore went into Saturday's men's 400m finals with the three fastest times in the world this year—45.15 seconds, 45.23 and 45.36—and was a big favourite for gold. However, the T&T/Texas A&M quarter-miler could only finish sixth overall with his 46.10 seconds. University of Houston's Errol Nolan grabbed gold, the Jamaican clocking 45.75.

Afterwards, Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry revealed that Lendore was not 100 per cent, ahead of the finals.

"We knew we had a little bit of a situation with Lendore following his (preliminary round) run on Friday. He has a calf issue right now, so we couldn't run him on the mile relay after the 400 final. All of a sudden we are running one leg short in the relay."

With Lendore forced to sit out the 4x400m, Texas A&M finished fourth in three minutes, 07.03 seconds. University of Arkansas won in a collegiate record 3:03.50.

Texas A&M finished fourth in the men's team competition with 30 points. The top three spots went to Arkansas (74), University of Florida (59) and University of Wisconsin (33).

Sparkle McKnight was fourth in section two and seventh overall in the women's 400m finals in 52.52 seconds—a new T&T indoor record. The Arkansas junior improved on her own 52.77 standard.

And McKnight ran the second leg for Arkansas in the women's 4x400m relay, helping her school finish first in section three and second overall in 3:30.35. University of Oregon won in 3:30.22. Texas A&M clocked 3:34.11 for sixth spot overall. T&T's Janeil Bellille was not among the four athletes selected to wear Texas A&M colours in the event.

Arkansas finished fourth in the women's team competition with 42.5 points. Hilenn James' University of Georgia copped tenth spot with 22 points, while Texas A&M were 12th with 18 points. T&T's James finished seventh in Saturday's women's shot put event with a personal best throw of 17.03 metres.

Oregon (56 points), University of Kansas (44) and Louisiana State University (43) were first, second and third, respectively.

At the NCAA Division 2 Indoor Championships, in Alabama, T&T's Steve Waithe finished seventh in the men's triple jump. The Shippensburg University student jumped 15.14m.

St Augustine's College triumphed in the men's team competition with 72 points, while Shippensburg (18 points) finished 12th. T&T's Jameel Walcott represented St Augustine's in the men's 800m, finishing 15th overall in 1:54.50.

Reyare Thomas ran the second leg for Abilene Christian University in the women's 4x400m relay, helping the school earn fifth spot in 3:45.40.

Earlier on Saturday, the T&T sprinter finished fourth in the 200m finals in 23.51 seconds and fifth in the 60m in 7.45.

Academy of Art University (California) topped the women's team competition with 59 points, while Abilene Christian accumulated 24 points to cop tenth spot.

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