ARKANSAS, United States – Jamaica’s trio of Tyrice Taylor, Dejanae Oakley and Shenese Walker won their respective events when the NCAA Indoor Championships continued on Saturday.
Tyrice Taylor won gold in the men’s 800m at the NCAA Indoor ChampionshipsCompeting at the Randal Tyson Track Center at the University of Arkansas, Taylor, who represents the University of Arkansas. clocked a personal best time of 1:46.00 to capture gold ahead of compatriot Rivaldo Marshall – the 2024 winner – who finished second in 1:46.12.
In winning the title, Taylor became the second Jamaican in three years to win the men’s 800m NCAA indoor title.
Oakley of the University of Georgia claimed gold in the women’s 400m in a Jamaican indoor record of 50.47 seconds, breaking the 50.79 seconds set by Stephenie Ann McPherson in Serbia in 2022.
Oakley lowered her previous best of 50.90 seconds while Shaquena Foote, also of Georgia, was fifth in a new personal best of 51.13 seconds, fifth best all time by a Jamaican woman.
Meanwhile, Walker of Florida State University, won the women’s 60m in 7.08 seconds, the first Jamaican to win the event since Brianna Lyston of LSU won in 2024.
Gabrielle Matthews was second in the women’s 200m in a new personal best and University of Florida programme record time of 22.55 seconds, beating her previous best of 22.87 seconds and climbing 10 places to fourth on the all-time Jamaican list.
Kobe Lawrence of the University of Oregon was second in the men’s shot put with a big personal best 20.50m, a Jamaican and Oregon programme record. He beat his previous best of 20.16m and passed Ashinia Miller’s 20.48m indoor best set in 2024.
In other results, Shantae Foreman of Clemson was second in the women’s triple jump with 13.80m after placing fifth last year, Demario Prince of Baylor University was third in the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.48 seconds, while Oneka Wilson of Clemson was sixth in the women’s 60m hurdles in a time of 8.11 seconds.
