Jamaicans enjoy big performances at Junior College Championships
Published:Wednesday | March 9, 2022 | 12:13 AMHubert Lawrence/Gleaner Writer
JEREMY BEMBRIDGE, Shakwon Coke, Kimar Farquharson, Nickeisha Pryce and Nia Robinson all tasted success at the National Junior College Athletics Association Indoor Championships last week in Pittsburg, Kansas. The victories by Bembridge and Farquharson and Pryce were perhaps even sweeter as they contributed to repeat team titles won by South Plains Junior College on the men’s side and Iowa Western in the women’s contest.
Bembridge, a 400-metre runner-up for Calabar High School at ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships in 2021, strode to victory in 46.62 seconds and Farquharson, also formerly of Calabar, took the 800 in 1 minute 50.85 seconds.
Later, a Jamaican trio of Bembridge, Evaldo Whitehorne and Shevoie Reid helped South Plains to success in the 4x400, with Farquharson on duty in the 4x800 where he won his second gold medal of the meet.
With the Jamaicans on duty, South Plains clocked 3 minutes 07.68 seconds in the 4x400.
They played their part in a big win by South Plains, 160 points to 62 for Barton County Community College, located in Kansas. Representing the runners-up, Coke long jumped to victory for the third time in a row with a leap taped at 7.83 metres. The former Kingston College athlete was second in the triple jump.
Usually, athletes spend only two years representing a junior college, but with COVID-19 smashing competition schedules in 2020, Coke was among many who were awarded an extra year of eligibility.
COMPACT SPRINTER
Among those leading Iowa Western to victory was the former Vere Technical standout Nickisha Pryce. The compact sprinter retained her 400-metre crown in 53.68 seconds and returned to anchor the champion 4×400 relay team, stopping the clock in 3 minutes 42.75 seconds.
Her 4x400 teammates included Danielle Deer, a class II and III 400-metre winner at Boys and Girls’ Championships for Holmwood Technical.
Pryce was fourth in the 200 final as well.
Those victories were part of an Iowa Western blowout. With Jamaican Shellene Williams-Davis as associate head coach, the Iowa Western ladies tallied 160 points in the women’s competition, well clear of the 98-point collection by New Mexico.
Barton’s Nia Robinson, formerly of the Rusea’s School, won the triple jump at 12.60 metres but lost her long jump title to Jonair Thomas of South Plains.