The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

JAVONYA Valcourt was the only one of four Bahamian women to advance to the final of the women's 400 metres at the National Collegiate Athletic Association's National Outdoor Championships.

Yesterday at the iconic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, Valcourt, competing in her senior year for the University of Tennessee, finished second in the second of three heats in 50.75 seconds for the sixth fastest qualifying time for Saturday’s final.

Quincy Penn, a junior at Florida, finished fourth in the same heat in 51.33 for 10th overall, just shy of the ninth and final qualifying spot. Braelyn Baker, a sophomore at Duke, clinched that spot when she ran 51.15 in heat two for the last of three slowest qualifying times overall.

The first two finishers in each of the three heats automatically qualified for the final.

Also in heat one, fellow Bahamian Collinique Farrington came in ninth in 51.96 for 20th overall. The other Bahamian, Lacarthea Cooper, a senior at Texas A&M, was sixth in heat three in 51.65 for 17th overall.

Dejanae Oakley, a senior at Georgia, took the top qualifying spot in winning heat one in 49.93. Madison Whyte, a junior at the University of South Carolina, took heat two in 50.73 ahead of Valcourt.

Valcourt's performance followed the impressive showing from national record holder Keyshawn Strachan, as one of two Bahamians entered in the men's javelin final on day one of the championships on Wednesday. 

Strachan, representing Nebraska, finished as the runner-up with his best toss of 264-feet, 7-inches or 80.65 metres on his first attempt. As a matter of fact, the junior only had one other legal mark of 244-7 (74.56m) on his fifth attempt. He scratched the second, third, fourth and sixth attempts.

Also representing The Bahamas in the event was Kaden Cartwright, a freshman at Mississippi, who was 18th overall. His best throw was 223-2 (68.02m) on his first attempt as well. He also only had one other legal mark of 220-5 ((68.02m) on his second try. He scratched his third.

Winning the event was Chinecherem Prosper Nnamci, a senior at Texas Tech, with his best of 269-10 (82.26m) on his first try.

Today, the only other Bahamian competing in an individual event, Antone Smith, will be competing in the final of the men's triple jump. Smith, a freshman at Arizona, will be the ninth of 12 competitors in the last of two flights. He has a seeded mark of 55-7 (16.94m). And on Saturday, Calea Jackson will be the final Bahamian in an individual event in the final of the women's discus. The Miami (Florida) junior will be the 11th of 12th competitors in the last of two flights. She has a seeded mark of 191-2 (58.26m).