By BRENT STUBSS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahamian Collinique Farrington and Printassia Johnson closed out their collegiate careers by winning their respective women’s national 400 metre titles over the weekend in the United States of America. 

In other meets, three Bahamian elite competitors - triple jumper Kaivan Culmer, long jumper LaQuan Nairn and quarter-miler Alonzo Ruseell - all had to settle for fourth place finishes in their respective events, while high jumper Donald Thomas was seventh.

Farrington shines at
NCAA Division II Championships

At the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s DII Championships in Pueblo, Colorado, Farrington saved her best performance for her senior year of eligibility for the Bearcats. 

The Tabernacle Baptist Academy graduate posted the winning time of 51.63 to beat out Anna Salisbury, a senior at Lubbock Christian, who did a personal best of 52.22.

It was Farrington’s first ever national title and SBU’s first since 2017. 

With a chance to go for another title in the 200m, Farrington fell short as she ended up as the runner-up in 22.83 for her fifth All-American award. Alexis Brown, a junior at Lenoir-Rhyne, won the race in 22.37.

Farrington, however, ended the meet running on SBU Bearcats’ 4x400m relay team with fellow Bahamian Stephanique Dean, a junior from Grand Bahama and former team-mate at Tabernacle Baptist Academy.

The duo teamed up with Brianna Lord and Laura Dixon to finish sixth in a SBU school record of 3:34.42. Lincoln, Missouri, won in a school record as well in 3:32.62.

As a matter of fact, the race was so fast that the top seven teams all established meet records with their performances.

Johnson’s stunning NAIA Championship

In Marion, Indiana at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Johnson surged across the finish line for the victory in the women’s 400m in 52.46 as she too completed her tenure at Life University. Her nearest rival was Praise Idamadudu, a senior at Cumberland, Tennessee, in 54.23.

Johnson had the second fastest qualifying time of 55.28 in the preliminaries.

And in the 4x400m relay, Johnson, running the second leg, teamed up with Najeh Gibson, Dagbjort Magnusdottir and Emeline Delaville for third place in 3:49.2. 

On the men’s side, Abaco native Lamarr Williams, a freshman at Bethel, Indiana, was 13th overall in the peiminarites of the men’s 200m in 21.29. The ninth and final spot went to Cam Andrews of 21,64.

Williams, who had moved to Grand Bahama to complete his high school at Sunland Baptist Academy, also placed 28th in the 200m in 10.58 to become the only Pilot to compete on the men’s side. 

The performance for Williams came after his May 8 victoriious performance at the NCCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships st Columbia International University where he won the 100-meter with a school record time of 10.29 and is the 200-meter champion with a PR time of 20.93. 

Williams ended his freshman year by winning both events in the Indoor and Outdoor NCCAA Championships. 

Culmer and Nairn at USATF Throws Festival

Kaiwan Culmer, one of two Bahamians competing at the USATF Throws Festival in Tucson, Arizona, was fourth in the men’s triple jump with his best leap of 154-feet, 7 1/4-inches or 6.64m on his fourth attempt. He improved on his only other legal mark of 53-113/4 (16.45m) on his third. He fouled his first, second, fifth and sixth attempts. 

Jamaican Jordan Scott won the title with 55-101/2 (17.03m) on his first attempt. 

Laquan Nairn, the other Bahamian, was entered in the men’s long jump where he also placed fourth with his best leap of 25-4 (7.72m) on his third try. 

The 2022 Commonwealth Games’ champion also recorded leaps of  23-7 1/2 (7.20m) on his first and 24-7 (7.49m). on his fourth, while fouling his second and sixth and passing on his fifth attempts.

The United States got a sweep of the top three spots, led by Jeremiah Davis with his best of 26-3 (8.00m) on his third attempt.

Russell at Pure Athletic Global Invitational

Competing in the men’s 400m at the Pure Athletic Global Invitational at the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida, Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell also picked up a fourth place finish.

Clocking 46.24, Olympian Russell trailed three unattached competitors in the one lap race that saw Trevor Stewart emerge as the winner in 46.00. 

Thomas in Rabat Diamond League

Grand Bahamian Donald Thomas, still going strong at age 40, was seventh in the men’s high jump at the.Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athletisme de Rabat at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, Morocco. 

Thomas, the 2007 world champion, was the only Bahamian to compete in the Diamond League event. He cleared 7-3 (2.21m), which was matched by four other competitors as they earned their placing on fewer knockdowns.

Four competitors cleared the winning height of 7-4 1/2 (2.25m), but Hamish Kerr claimed the title on fewer knockdowns.