Jamaicans Nelson, Nugent, Thomas storm to gold at NCAA Indoor Championships

Jamaicans Kemba Nelson, Ackera Nugent, and Damion Thomas won gold medals at the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCCA) Indoor Championships inside the Randal Tyson Track Center in Arkansas, on Saturday, March 13, 2021.

University of Oregon’s Kemba Nelson produced a surprise victory in the women’s 60m.

The 21-year-old Jamaican, who hadn’t raced indoors before this year, set a PB of 7.13 seconds in the heats and chopped it down to 7.05 seconds to win the final, breaking the collegiate record in the process. World U20 100m silver medallist Tanisha Terry was second in 7.14 seconds, while Jamaican Kiara Grant of Norfolk State finished third for the bronze.

Grant, who posted a school-record time of 7.11 in winning her preliminary heat Friday, clocked a time of 7.16 seconds in the final.

Jamaican teenager Nugent of Baylor University, the World Under-10 100m hurdles record-holder was a comfortable winner of the women’s 60m hurdles in 7.92, while the men’s event was much close with just 0.03 separating the first four finishers. Louisiana State University’s Damion Thomas, also of Jamaica won in 7.51 with Jamal Britt taking second in 7.52.

Another Jamaican Phillip Lemonious, representing Arkansas, finished fourth in 7.54 seconds.