Sevlon, Davis land NCAA silver

Kai Selvon and Wayne Davis II copped silver medals on the final day of action at the 2012 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships which ended at the Drake Stadium, Des Moines, Iowa, USA. Selvon (Auburn) landed silver in the women’s 200m finals in 23.19 as the defending champion and favourite Kimberlyn Duncan (LSU) raced to the gold in 22.86 seconds. Selvon just edged out Dominique Duncan (Texas A&M) for the second spot as both clocked the same time. The national junior record holder improved on her fourth place finish in the 100m finals on Friday night. Semoy Hackett was hoping to add to the bronze she earned in the 100m but could only finish fifth in 23.31. The LSU student, however, improved on her sixth place finish in last year’s finals. The times were slow as the sprinters ran into a strong head wind of 2.3m/s.

 

Davis sped to second spot in the men’s 110m hurdles finals in 13.60. The Texas A&M athlete was beaten to the tape by the 2010 champion Jamaican Andrew Riley (Illinois) who took the title in 13.53 to complete a double win after he raced to the 100m flat gold he won on Friday night. Davis improved on his sixth place finish in 2011. The strong head winds (-3.5m/s) again hampered the runners who were expected to clock quick times. Spencer Adams (Clemson) was third in 13.73 while the defending champion Barrett Nugent (LSU) finished in fourth (13.80). Hackett did end the championships with a gold medal as she and Duncan helped LSU retained the women’s 4X100m relay crown in 42.68 seconds. LSU swept the sprint relays as Shermund Allsop anchored the men’s 4X100m to victory in 38.38 seconds ahead of Florida State and Auburn. Jamol James and his Tennessee team-mates were eighth in 40.21. LSU were denied in the 4X400m relays as the men’s team finished third in 3:01.21. Ade-Alleyne Forte ran the third leg returning a split of 44.84. Deon Lendore was hoping to anchor Texas A&M to another victory but his team was beaten into fifth despite a split of 44.54. 

 

On Friday night, Hackett and Kyron Blaise captured bronze medals. Hackett was third in the women’s 100m finals in 11.33 seconds.  The LSU student was denied gold by English Gardener (Oregon) who clocked a time of  11.10 and Hackett’s school-mate Kimberlyn Duncan (11.16) finished second for the second straight year. Selvon finished just out of the medals in fourth in 11.41, ahead of Octavious Freeman (UCF) who also crossed the line in 11.41. The times were slowed by a 1.7m/s head wind. Annie Alexander (Tennessee) was edged out of medal in the women’s shot put finals with a distance of 17.36 (season’s best). Alexander had high hopes of getting among the medals after earning bronze in 2009 and 2011 but the San Juan Secondary graduate came up short after lying in second after the trials with her 17.36 effort in the third round  behind the eventual bronze medallist Jeneva McCall (Southern Illinois)17.67. However, she did not improved and was squeezed out of a podium finish by the top two Tia Brooks (Oklahoma) 18.44 and Brittany Smith (Illinois State) 17.80, who achieved their best in the fourth round. Hilenn James (Georgia) was 12th in the trials with a personal best of 16.54m. The 2006 Carifta champion did not advance to the finals. Deon Lendore trailed the field in the men’s 400m finals in 45.63. Running in the confines of lane one the Texas A&M first year student was well off the pace as Tony McQuay of Florida struck gold in a fast time of 44.58 ahead of Mike Berry (Oregon) 44.75) and Gil Roberts (Texas Tech) 44.99). McQuay improved on his second place finish last year.  McQuay topped the semifinals on Wednesday running 44.67.