The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH the BTC Carifta Games fast approaching, middle distance runner Andre Colebrooke has broken the Bahamian junior national record in the men’s 800 metres at the High Point University Vertklasse Meeting in High Point, North Carolina, over the weekend.

Colebrooke, in his freshman year at Essex Community College, completed the two-lap race in one minute and 50.81 seconds to win the second of two heats to post the fastest time overall. The time now has him ranked at No.2 on the National Junior College of Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) list for 2013.

The previous record was 1:52.27 set by Olympian Ramon Miller in Windsor, Canada, on July 29, 2005.

“It was good. I just went out there with the intention of running faster,” Colebrooke said. “I wanted to break 1:50, but I didn’t get it this time. Hopefully when I come home for Carifta, I will be able to do it.”

Colebrooke, 19, said the competition was very stiff because instead of the competitors taking the pace out hard, they went out a bit slower and then came home stronger. “I got adjusted to it and as time went on, I got better,” Colebrooke said.

Now the six-foot, three-incher has his sights set on representing the Bahamas at the BTC Carifta Games this weekend. He is scheduled to return home on Thursday. “My intention is run faster when I come home, but I really want to make sure that I win,” he said.

And competing at home for the first time in the new stadium, Colebrooke said he’s even more inspired to compete for the Bahamas.

Also at the meet, former Carifta medallist O’Jay Ferguson, representing ECC-Unitt, was second in the men’s 400 in 47.12. The event was won by St Augustine’s junior James Quarles in 47.07.

And Aaron Wilmore, competing unattached, was 9th in the 100 in 11.03 and 12th in the 200 in 22.20. The latter race saw Marcus Thompson, a junior at Campbell, finishing third in 21.39.

At the Texas State Elite Meet in Texas State, San Marcos, Texas, Ivanique Kemp clocked 13.51 to take the women’s 100 hurdles for the University of Arkansas and her team-mate Tamara Myers also tasted victory in the women’s long jump with her leap of 5.87 metres or 19-feet, 3 1/4-inches.