National recognition for Houston, Venson
FORMER Kingston College athlete Tajean Houston of Texas Wesleyan University was named as the National Association of Inter-collegiate Athletics (NAIA) men track athlete of the week and former Calabar High runner Kevroy Venson was part of the Indian Hills Community College men’s distance medley relay team that was named the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) men’s track performance of the week.
Both were among eight Jamaicans who were recognised for outstanding performances from last weekend’s series of US college indoor track and field meets.
National women’s high jump record holder Lamara Distin was named the South-east Conference (SEC) women’s field event athlete of the week; Shantae Foreman of Clemson University was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) female field athlete of the week; Roschell Clayton of Villanova was named the Big East female field athlete of the week; Niesha Burgher of the University of Texas-el Paso was the Conference USA female track athlete of the week; Tonie-ann Forbes of Louisiana Tech was the Conference USA Female Freshman of the Week and Shaquena Foote of San Diego State was named Mountain West Conference female track athlete of the week for the third time this season.
Houston of Texas Wesleyan University ran his two fastest indoor times ever in the men’s 60m hurdles at Pittsburg State’s Gorilla Classic, also the two fastest this year in the NAIA.
He clocked 7.78 seconds in the semi-finals for the then-leading NAIA mark (and fastest since 2020) before shaving his best down to 7.77 seconds in the final, according to US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) who administers the awards.
Houston, who was the NAIA Outdoor 110 metres hurdles champion, now owns the three fastest performances this year in the NAIA.
Venson ran a 4:07.00 minutes split on the 1,600m anchor leg on the Distance Medley Relay team that set an “all-conditions NJCAA indoor best in the distance medley relay in 9:46.12 seconds.”
Distin equalled her personal best 1.97m to win the women’s high jump at Clemson University’s Tiger Paw Invitational, achieving the Olympic Games qualifying mark and now ranks as the leader the NCAA rankings.
The clearance equals the second-highest in NCAA and she is also ranked third in the world.
Foreman, the former St Jago High athlete improved her personal best in the triple jump to 13.61m to win the event at the Tiger Paw meet, moving to third all time at Clemson.
Foreman, who only started competing in the triple jump this season, leads the ACC ranking, ranks fifth nationally and was earning her second ACC award of the season.
Clayton, the former Montego Bay High and Mt Alvernia High jumper, was also winning her second Big East award of the season after clearing a new lifetime best 1.88m at the Eagle Elite Invitational, extending her school record.
Burgher ran a lifetime best and school record 22.90 seconds to win the women’s 200 metres at the Jarvis Scott Open hosted by Texas Tech on February 9-10, lowering her previous best of 23.17 seconds set at last year’s Don Kirby meet in New Mexico.
Former Edwin Allen runner Forbes broke the Louisiana Tech women’s 60m hurdles programme record two times at the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas.
The freshman clocked 8.16 seconds in the prelims then lowered it to 8.15 seconds in the final, which is the 16th best in the NCAA and first among all freshmen.
Meanwhile, Foote shook off the effects of the flu to run 52.60 seconds in the 400m at the Don Kirby Invitational, breaking the school record for the third time this season.
She was also part of the 4x400m relay team that ran 3:39.32 minutes.