The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE National Collegiate Athletic Association’s 2023 Indoor Track and Field Championship in Albuquerque, Minnesota over the weekend turned out to be a specular show for Grand Bahamian sprinter Terrance Jones and versatile Charisma Taylor from New Providence.

The NCAA Division II Championships at the Virginia Beach Sports Center saw Minnesota State’s junior Denisha Cartwright come through with some spectacular performances as well.

Jones, a sophomore at Texas Tech, became the first Bahamian to win the NCAA Indoor titles in the men’s 60m, while Taylor, a senior at Tennessee, came through with a couple of personal best performances with a national record in her triple dose of action.

In his only appearance, Jones clocked 6.46 seconds in the men’s 60 metres in a season’s best and a collegiate leading time of 6.46, which was just shy of his Bahamian national and collegiate records of 6.45 that he posted last year.

Jones, 20, led from start to finish as he ran away from his nearest rival Jordan Anthony, a freshman from Kentucky, who did 6.55.

It was redemption for Jones, who in his debut in last year’s final got a false start. He now holds three of the top-five marks of all-time collectively.

“It’s a big accomplishment,” Jones said in a post-race interview. “I had a lot to do last year, but this year I came back with a vengeance. I’m happy to be here.”

Jones raced to the third fastest qualifying time of 6.54 in the preliminaries.

For Taylor, she soared a national record and personal best of 48-feet, 10-inches or 14.88m on her second attempt in the women’s triple jump for second place with her best showing in her three events. She opened with 47-111/4 (14.61m). After scratching her next two attempts to compete in the hurdles final, Taylor came back and fouled her fifth, but finished with 45-61/2 (13.88m).

Jasmine Moore, a junior at Florida, won with 49-7 ¼ (15.12m) for a PR, faculty and meet record as well as the world and collegiate leading times on her sixth and final attempt. She had the title wrapped up from her second attempt with 49-513/4 (15.08m). Without much time to recuperate, Taylor had to step onto the track and surged to a third place finish in the 60m hurdles in a time of 7.98. Arkansas’ sophomore Ackera Nugent won in 7.73 and Kentucky’s senior Massi Russell got the silver in a PR of 7.75.

Taylor, 22, advanced out of the preliminary rounds on Friday with a PR of 7.91 for the third fastest qualifying time. She trailed Nugent, who posted her previous leading time of 7.72 with Russell coming in second in 7.78i.

“I feel really good about my performance. I’m just really thankful to God and my coaches for believing in me and getting me this far,” Taylor said. “I had a rough couple of years in college, so for it to come together in my last indoor championships, just means the world to me.

“I’ve been praying and having faith that everything would come together and that’s what happened. God’s timing is always perfect so there’s nothing that I can complain about. My performances were good. I came into the meet ready to dominate in all three events because I knew this was my last chance in college to show everyone who I am.”

Before her double duties on Saturday, Taylor had a showdown with Kentucky’s sophomore Anthaya Charlton in the long jump on Friday.

Popping off her best in her first attempt, Taylor ended up fifth with a PR of 21-91/2 (6.64m) and Charlton was 10th with 20-71/4 (6.28m).

Moore’s impressive winning leap of 23-3/4 (7.02m) turned out to be the longest collegiate mark ever recorded as she broke every record for a world-leading mark.

Taylor said her coaches told her she only had two jumps before she had to switch gears for the preliminaries of the hurdles and so she made it count. She got a PR in her hurdles, which set the stage for her for the final day of competition on Saturday.

“The triple jump was my baby, so I knew I had to go out there and pop a big one,” Taylor said. “The first jump I knew was a big one, but when I saw 14.61, I literally could not believe it and that put my fuel under me.

“It was the same situation as Friday where I only had two jumps, so I went out and on my second jump and did much better than the first and that got me set up for the hurdles where I got third. My coaches told me to go back to the triple jump and try to go for the collegiate record, but it wasn’t in God’s plan, so I’m happy with what I did.”

Competing against Charlton, whom she considers to be a little sister, Taylor said she knows she didn’t get the type of performance she anticipated in the long jump, but she said she made it as one of the top 16 to make it to the nationals.

“She has great things ahead of her, so I’m just looking forward to great things for her,” said Taylor of Charlton.

Also on Saturday, Antoine Andrews, a junior at Texas Tech, also earned All-American honours as he had to settle for sixth place in his NCAA indoor debut in 7.73. Winning the race was Giano Roberts, a senior at Clemson, in a PB of 7.55. Andrews got in with the eighth and final spot in the preliminaries in 7.67.

And Shaun Miller Jr, competing for Ohio State in the men’s high jump, cleared 7-1/2 (2.15m) to end up tied with Slavko Stevic of Southeastern Louisiana. The winning leap was 7-41/4 (2.24m) by Romaine Beckford, a junior at South Florida.

Wanya McCoy, a freshman at Clemson, clocked 46.07 in the preliminaries of the men’s 400m on Friday, but it was only 14th overall, leaving him short of the top eight to get into the final that took place on Saturday.

Cartwright shines

In her three events, Cartwright had her performance in the women’s 60m hurdles as she crossed the finish line in 8.11 for a new facility record, replacing the previous time of 8.22 that was held by Darci Khan. Coming in second was Kiara Smith in 8.21.

“I’m happy that I still have my title in the hurdles,” said Cartwright, in repeating as champion. “The time I was looking to run didn’t happen, so with me getting better with my technique at practice, it will become much better.”

The diminutive Cartwright also got third in the 60m in 7.31 to trail Minnesota State’s junior Mikayla Jackson, the winner in 7.20 for a meet record, while Diovonne Franklin, a senior of California, was second in 7.27.

Cartwright won her heat in 7.29 for the second fastest time in the preliminaries.

And in the 200, Cartwright ended up second in her heat in 23.38 for another third place finish. Alexis Brown beat her out at the tape in a meet record time of 23.26. Ayana Fields, a junior at Cal Poly Pomona, won the other heat in 23.36 for the second fastest qualifying time.

“The 60 dash didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but that’s where my training and focus is going to be as well,” Cartwright added.

“In the 200m, I was impressed to run a PR in the heats and in the final. I see where improvements can be made in each event and it is going to be better this outdoors.”

The focus now switches on the outdoor season.