By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER producing what she felt was a productive indoor track and field season at the University of Tennessee, the Volunteers’ junior quarter-miler Javonya Valcourt is eager to see what the outdoor season holds for her.

The 20-year-old Olympian closed out her indoor season by competing in both the women’s 400 metres and as a member of the Volunteers’ 4 x 400m relay team.

In the 400m, Valcourt finished 12th overall in the preliminaries in 52.31 seconds, which was short of making the top eight to advance to the final and off her lifetime best of 51.78 she ran earlier this year to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

She ran out of the second of four heats in lane three, did the first of the two-lap race in 23.94 to move into second, but on the last lap, she was dropped to third and finished in that position.

Eila Onojuvwevwo, a junior at LSU, took the tape in 51.61 with Rachel Joseph, a junior at Iowa State, coming in second in 51.86, as they both advanced.

“I didn’t get the results I wanted in my open 400m, finishing with a time of 52.31 and placing 12th overall, which meant I didn’t advance to the final,” Valcourt said.

“Still, I’m grateful to be among the top 16 runners in the country this indoor season and to have earned Second Team All-American honours.”

Valcourt came back and ran the second fastest split of 50.75, anchoring Tennessee to a third-place finish in the last of three heats for third place overall in 3:27.25.

Her team-mates included Cydney Wright, who led off in 54.11, Brianna White on second in 50.70 and Esther Joseph on third in 51.71, as Tennessee ended up fourth overall.

“I’m especially proud of how we finished in the 4x400m relay—our team placed 4th overall, and I ran the anchor leg with a 50.75 split, helping us secure First Team All-American honors,” she said.

“It was a strong way to close out the indoor season, and I’m happy to walk away with a new indoor PR of 51.76 which I ran at SEC indoors.”

With indoors now behind her, Valcourt said she’s looking forward to the outdoor season and what’s to come. 

“I’m feeling motivated and hopeful for even bigger performances,” she summed up.

Valcourt, who represents a new era of quarter-milers for the Bahamas, made her international breakthrough at the Olympic Games in Paris, France last year.

She was a part of the Bahamas’ mixed 4 x 400m relay team that included Miller, Alonzo Russell and Quincy Penn. The team didn’t make it out of the preliminary round, running 3:14.58 for eighth place.

This year, the focus will be on the 20th World Athletics in Tokyo, Japan from September 13-21 and Valcourt’s aim is not just to be a competitor on the relay team, but a participant in the open 400m where she has a personal best of 51.15 she posted last year.

The former Queen’s College standout who went on to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, is currently majoring in Information Science at Tennessee. She is the daughter of Jacqueline Casseus.