The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT was a good send off for Dreshanae Rolle, while Shakeem Smith made his presence felt over the weekend as the duo participated in the UTEP Springtime at the Kidd Field in El Paso, Texas.

As the University of Texas at El Paso closed out the meet, Rolle along with fellow seniors Lillian Koech, Rebecca Oshinbanio, Carvelion Horn and Anthony Kossei were honoured in their last home meet of their collegiate careers. Rolle, a graduate of St Augustine’s College, has been a steady producer for UTEP in her speciality in the women’s 400 metre hurdles during her tenure. She has also participated in the 400m and on the 4 x 400m relay team. The economics major is the daughter of Dreauo Rolle and D’shea Miller.

Smith, now in his junior year, opened his outdoor season with a victory in the men’s 110m hurdles in a time of 14.73. His nearest rival, Brandon Cano of Uacj, was a distant second in 16.41.

Before he was done, Smith also competed in the 200m where he placed fourth in his heat in 21.71 for fifth place overall. His team-mate, Sean Bailey, who clocked 21.10 to take the heat he competed in, was the overall winner. Smith, a graduate of Doris Johnson High, is a computer science major. He is the son of Mark and Shandy Smith.

The Miners will be back in action on March 27 when they compete in the Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin, Texas.

Pratt victorious in javelin

National record holder Denzel Pratt continued to turn heads with his winning performance in the men’s javelin at the Jim Seattle Spring Break Invitational at the Charleston Southern’s Bagwell-Seattle Track.

Competing for Liberty University, the senior tossed the spear 210-10 to help the Flames win. Pratt and Liberty will be back in action on Friday when they compete in the FSU Relays at the Mike Long Track in Tallahassee, Florida.

The performance was off the Bahamian national record feat of 232-0 that the Eleuthera native and St Augustine’s College graduate achieved last year when he was named the Big South Men’s Outstanding Field Performer as the Big South javelin champion.

Pratt is the son of Desmond and Michelle Pratt and is majoring in Zoo and wildlife biology.

The Flames will compete in the one-day team-scored competition against Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Pitt and Virginia Tech, beginning at 9 a.m.

Thompson soared to fourth

At their home meet at the 2019 Hurricane Invitational at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, Celene Thompson soared to a fourth place finish in the women’s college high jump competition.

The Queen’s College graduate now in her senior year at the University of Miami, cleared 5-feet, 5-inches on the last of her three attempts. She missed all three of her attempts at 1.70m. She opened the meet with her first clearance at 1.60m.

The event was won by Saniel Atkinsongrier of Tru Fit with a leap of 1.76m (5-9).

Thompson and the Hurricanes will be back in action on Saturday when they participate in another home meet called the Power 5 Trailblazer Challenge.