By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MALE high hurdlers Oscar Smith Jr and Raymond Oriakhi Jr took the spotlight to highlight the list of Bahamians who competed in track and field for their respective schools over the weekend.

Making his return to action after being sidelined with an injury for over a year, Smith Jr, now in his senior year at Louisiana Tech, posted a personal best of 7.74 seconds in a school record to win the men’s 60 metres hurdles at the University of Kentucky’s Rod McCrary Track and Field Meet in Louisville, Kentucky.

The St Augustine’s College graduate, who transferred from Ohio State to join the team with Bahamian coach George Cleare as the sssociate head coach for sprints and jumps, won his semifinal heat in 7.82 to initially break the school record.

“Oscar competed very well in his season opener. I was pleasantly surprised by him running a new personal best of 7.74 in the final after a fast 7.82 in the preliminary round. Both runs were school records,” said Cleare, who joined LA Tech’s coaching staff last July. 

“This was his first competitive race in 597 days after not competing all last season. So, we have been working more on his strength and ability to produce mass specific force as well as his hurdle and running technique.”

Cleare, who spent the previous five years as an assistant coach for the men’s program at Texas Southern, said they are very early in their preparation phase with their focus on the outdoors. 

“Oscar is slowly getting healthy and once we put it all together, I feel he will have a breakout season,” Cleare stressed. 

Smith Jr, 22, is the son of Charlotte and Oscar Smith Sr. 

Quarter-miler Philip Gray Jr, a sophomore at Louisiana Tech, was 20th in the men’s 300m in 35.22. Gray Jr, a graduate of St Anne’s, also contested the 400m where he was 16th in 49.44.

Gray, the son of Nicole and Philip Gray Sr, but their 4 x 400m relay team with Gray Jr on the lead off leg, failed to finish the race. 

“Philip is coming off his freshman season. We decided to shut him down indoors to get him healthy and ready for this season,” Cleare pointed out. 

“He has a huge upside and I feel with him still being Carifta eligible it was best to take it slow and build towards the future. We are looking forward to some improvements in his performances and over time I feel he has the potential to be a major player in the 400m.”

Also at the meet, sprinter Paige Archer, a junior at the University of Central Florida, ran 39.,46 for 17th overall in the women’s 300m. The Queen’s College graduate also ran the opening leg for UCF women’s 4 x 400m relay team that placed third in 3:37

Shayann Demeritte, a 5-9 sprinter who also graduated from St Augustin’s College, is in her freshman year at Louisiana Tech, but she didn’t compete in the meet. Demeritte is the daughter of Shekena and Shayne Demeritte.

Demeritte and Gray Jr will both celebrate their next birthdays on January 30th.

Meanwhile at the Badgers Midwest Invite, Oriakhi, competing in his senior year at Chicago State, was second in the final of the men’s 60m hurdles in 8.02. 

Oriakihi, a former student of St Augustine’s College, posted the fastest qualifying time of 7.93 in the preliminaries. He is the son of Maria Woodside-Oriakhi and Raymond Oriakhi Sr.

At the McFerrin-12 Degree Invitational at the Bryan College Station in Texas, Olympic quarter-miler Javonya Valcourt, now in her junior year at Tennessee, was third in the women’s 300m final in 27.55.

The 20-year-old Valcourt, who previously attended Queen’s College and then Montverde Academy in Florida, ran on the Bahamas mixed relay team at the Olympics in Paris, France in August. Unfortunately, the team didn’t advance out of the preliminaries to the final.