By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

Men and women national javelin record holders Keyshawn Strachan and Rhema Otabor, now tag teaming up at the University of Nebraska, turned in some credible season-best performances in their signature events over the weekend. 

The duo led a field of Bahamians competing at various meets around the United States of America, including Jonathan Rodgers, who picked up a victory in the men’s long jump.

Strachan in record-breaking feat

At the 44 Farms Invitational in College Station, Texas, Strachan etched his name in school history, winning the javelin title with a toss of 262-feet, 5-inches or 80.0 metres, the second-furthest mark ever by a Husker. 

He was shy of his national record of 276-5 (84.27m) that he set on March 31, 2023 as a member of the Auburn Tigers at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas. But it turned out to be a meet (previously 250-5/76.32m by Sam Hankins in 2024) and faculty (258-1/78.66m by DJ Jonsson in 2021) record for the 21-year-old Strachan, who is coming back from a UCI injury that prevented him from competing last year.

“I felt good about my performance. It was my second-best performance since I broke the national record in 2023,” Strachan said. 

“This was my second meet since my injury.

“Last week in Florida, I threw about 74m, which wasn’t too good. I fixed my adjustment to  my runup and my technique and I came back and did much better.”

He opened the competition with a heave of 238-11 (78.93m), did 239-9 (73.09m) on his second try, 223-1 (68.00m) on his third and closed out with 235-6 (72.09m) on his fifth after scratching his sixth and final try.

The human development and family major and science and sociology minor said it was a confident booster as he looks ahead to the rest of his season, starting with the Drake Relays over the weekend of May 24-25.

“I just wanted to go out in this meet and execute,” he said. “I stuck to the plan and improved on my technique and kept it relaxed.”

Last July, Strachan entered the transfer portal where he was able to move on from Auburn University to the University of Nebraska in what he considered a “very smooth” transition, nothing major just got colder. 

“The environment is the best, it’s like I’m back at home surrounded by my teammates.”

Strachan said his aim is to get ready for his international debut at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, from September 13-21.

Aso at the meet, Olympian Antoine Andrews, a junior at Texas Tech, placed third in his specialty in the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.29. 

Jamar Marshall Jr, a senior at Houston, won in 13.13.

Andrews also showed his versatility as he got sixth in the men’s 200m in 20.74. The winning time was 20.21 by Auhmad Robinson, a senior at Texas A&M.

Otabor victorious

There was just as much celebration for the Bahamian representative at both the World Championships and the Olympic Games over the past two years.

Otabor came up big as well as she won the women’s javelin at the Oklahoma Throws World Invitational with her mark of 186-01 (56.73m) on her third attempt to win the title in her season opener. 

Her series of throws were 184-03 (56.17m) for an opening mark and 192-0 (58.54m) on her second. She fouled both her fourth and fifth and closed out the competition with 186-0 (54.73m) on her sixth and final attempt.

“I can’t complain because that was my best opener that I’ve ever had and it is in my range of expectations for what I had,” she said. “I think it was a good starting point for the rest of my season.”

Still at the University of Nebraska where she is being coached by Huskers’ head coach Justin St Clair as she pursues her master’s degree in actuarial science, Otabor said her goal is to qualify for the World Championships as she “continues to progress with some big throws and have some fun doing it.”

If there’s anything she needs to continue to work on, Otabor admits that it’s her runup, but she’s not concerned about it as she prepares for her next competition at the Drake Relays.

Otabor, 22, holds the Bahamian national record at 210-0 (64.19m), a feat she established on June 6, 2024 in repeating as the NCAA Outdoor Championships’ champion.

Rodgers joined the party at Jo Meaker Classic

His name may not be as household as Strachan and Otabor, but Jonathan Rodgers, competing for New Mexico Junior College, made his presence felt at the Jo Meaker Classic.

He soared 25-8 1/4 (7.83m) ln his first attempt to secure the win, following it up with marks of 25-5 1/4 (7.75m), 25-2 (7.67m) and 25-6 (7.77m) before he passed on his final two tries.

Smith at Arkansas 

Oscar Smith, a senior at Louisiana Tech, got fourth in the men’s 110m hurdles at the Arkansas Spring Invitational in a season’s best of 13.67.

The race was won by American Cordell Tinch in 13.29.