media_artricles :: 2015

Daniel jumps to NCAA bronze

Deandra Daniel capped off a very satisfying indoor campaign with women’s high jump bronze at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Indoor Track and Field Championships, in Arkansas, USA, on Friday. The Coppin State University junior cleared the bar at 1.87 metres, equalling her personal best in the event.

Daniel enjoyed a perfect competition up to 1.84m, going over on her first attempt at 1.73, 1.78, 1.81 and 1.84. When the bar was raised to 1.87m, she knocked it down twice but made a successful clearance third time around. The Trinidad and Tobago athlete was unable to successfully negotiate 1.90m. Gold went to Cypriot Leontia Kallenou (1.93m), a sophomore at University of Georgia, while Spain’s University of Akron senior Claudia Garcia (1.90m) picked up silver.

Late yesterday, T&T’s Deon Lendore attempted to repeat as men’s 400m champion. He went into the finals with the second fastest qualifying time after winning heat one in 45.92 seconds. Lendore’s Texas A&M University teammate, Grenadian Bralon Taplin led all qualifiers with a 45.64 run.

Texas State University sophomore Aaron George finished 15th in the men’s long jump with a 7.19 metres leap--well short of his 7.87m PR (personal record). George is an American of Trinidadian parentage.

T&T/University of Arkansas athlete, Sparkle McKnight finished fourth in heat four and 16th overall in the women’s 400m preliminaries in 54.12 seconds. The top eight advanced to the finals. A couple hours later, however, McKnight was back on the track, helping Arkansas earn gold in the women’s distance medley relay. She ran the second leg for her team, and her 52.84 seconds clocking was the fastest 400-split in the event. Arkansas returned a time of 10 minutes, 51.89 seconds.

At the NCAA Division 2 Indoor Championships, in Alabama, T&T’s Kevin Roberts finished ninth in Friday’s men’s long jump event with a 7.08m leap. And in yesterday’s triple jump, the Tiffin University freshman produced a 14.51m effort to secure 12th spot.

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