Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
SMITH
NATIONAL INDOOR heptathlon record holder, Maurice Smith, heads a list of 14 Jamaican athletes down to participate at this weekend's NCAA Division One Indoor Championships, at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Arkansas, United States.
Smith, the only number one ranked Jamaican heading into the champs which will take place tomorrow and Saturday, will contest the men's heptathlon, an event in which he will start as the overwhelming favourite.
Auburn's Smith leads the event with 6035 points the national record which was established just over two weeks ago.
CHALLENGE
Texas' pair of Donovan Kilmartin (5791 points) and Trey Hardee (5723), who were
both beaten by Smith's record tally two weeks ago, will once again challenge the Jamaican.
The other Jamaicans scheduled for action are debutants Melaine Walker, Carlene Robinson, and Peaches Roach, along with Olympian Shevon Stoddart, Aneita Denton, Kasia Williams, Karen Gayle, Nadine Palmer, Omar Brown, Ricardo Melbourne, Richard Phillips, Sekou Clarke and Pete Coley.
Denton's time of 2:01.91 is ranked as the second fastest in the 800m this NCAA season behind Nicole Cooke of Nebraska (2:00.96), but ahead of fellow Jamaican Robinson (2:06.65), who competes for Illinois.
WOMEN'S 60M
In the women's 60m, Walker's 8.12 seconds is ranked at number four and Williams' 8.20 at 10th. They will represent Texas and Arkansas respectively, while Phillips (7.74) and Melbourne (7.76), both of George Mason, are down for the men's 60m equivalent.
Roach leapt 1.85m to qualify for the women's high jump, while Brown (20.79) will carry Jamaica's flag in the men's 200m.
South Carolina's Stoddart is down to contest both the women's 200m and 400m in which she has recorded times of 23.55 and 52.74 respectively. Stoddart is ranked 15th of the 16 200m qualifiers.
