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Kemba Nelson off to University of Oregon

Published:Friday | October 9, 2020 | 12:10 AM
NELSON
NELSON

Kemba Nelson, the 2019 double sprint Under-20 national champion, has become the first female Jamaican to be awarded an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Oregon.

Nelson formerly attended the University of Technology (UTech) but decided to make a change in her environment by going overseas.

“Jamaica doesn’t really have a lot of collegiate competitions,” Nelson said. “It’s not as competitive because it is basically UTech and G.C. Foster vying for titles, but in the US, it is very competitive, and it prepares you for a professional level, so I think it is a good decision to go overseas.”

She said she is excited and is looking forward to attending a new university.

“Based on what I’ve heard, it is a very good environment, and the coach that I spoke with was very welcoming,” she said.

At the University of Oregon, Nelson is doing an undergraduate degree in applied economics, business and society, and she said she hopes to go on to do a master’s degree in finance.

Nelson said this is an opportunity to accomplish many things, including lowering her personal bests of 11.49 seconds in the 100m and 23.57 seconds in the 200m.

“I would like to finish my degree, also to continue with my master’s, and, as an athlete, to lower my personal bests, get more collegiate exposure, and to use this experience to build going into the professional world as an athlete,” Nelson said.

She said it would be good if other Jamaican female athletes could be awarded scholarships to attend the University of Oregon because it would be a good opportunity for them.

Sharla Williams