Ohio State University’s Leah Bertrand, Akilah Lewis of Ole Miss, South California’s Rae-Anne Serville and Taejha Badal of Texas State qualified for the finals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships set for Eugene, Oregon from June 4-8.
On the final day of the East Regionals at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky Saturday (May 25), Bertrand made the cut in the women’s 100 metres second round when the Simplex club member was ninth overall in 11.09 seconds as the top 12 finishers secured a lane in Eugene. The 2021 World Under-20 Championships women’s 100m semifinalist’s time was a season’s best, improving on her 11.16 set in retaining the Big 10 title and matched in the first round of the East Regionals on Thursday. The Point Fortin native also helped Ohio State to advance to the NCAA Finals in the women’s 4x100m relay as Ohio State was fourth in 43.09. The AJSA Girls College-San Fernando past pupil is making her second trip to the NCAA Finals after qualifying in both events in 2023.
Lewis qualified for her third NCAA final when she was part of Ole Miss’ 4x100m which placed second in 42.72. Lewis ran with Minnesota 4x100m teams in the 2022 and 2023 finals. Jelese Alexander (Southern Mississippi/Zenith) was joint 31st in the women’s high jump qualifiers with a 1.71m clearance.
At the NCAA West Regionals at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Serville added her name to the list of NCAA qualifiers when she was eighth-quickest in the second round of the women’s 400m hurdles in a personal best time of 56.88 seconds. The St Joseph’s Convent Port-of-Spain graduate improved her previous best of 57.12 set in the first round on Thursday. Serville’s South California teammates were third in the women’s 4x400m first round in 3:27.28. Serville was a member of her school’s relay pool but did not compete.
Badal was part of Texas State’s line up which was 11th-fastest in the women’s 4x100m heats. Texas State clocked 43.85 in crossing the line in fifth spot in heat one.
Bertrand, Lewis, Serville and Badal joined their male compatriots Devin Augustine (Minnesota), Kelsey Daniel (Texas) and Shakeem Mc Kay Louisiana State University (LSU) in the NCAA DI Finals.
On Friday (May 24), Augustine booked his spot in the men’s 200m and Daniel in the men’s triple jump, both at the West Regionals. McKay helped LSU to secure qualification in the men’s 4x400m relay.
T&T ATHLETES
NCAA Division One Outdoor Track and Field Championships
East Regionals (University of Kentucky, Lexington)
May 25
Women
100m Second Round: 9th Leah Bertrand (Ohio State/Simplex) 11.09/-0.9
High jump Qualifying: =31st Jelese Alexander (Southern Mississippi/Zenith) 1.71
4x100m First Round: 2nd Ole Miss (Akilah Lewis/Concorde) 42.72; 4th Ohio State (Bertrand) 43.09
May 24
Men
100m Second Round : 18th Omari Lewis (Liberty/Concorde) 10.30/+0.7
4x100m: DNF Pittsburgh (Clement Campbell/Memphis Pioneers)
4x400m: 3rd LSU (Shakeem Mc Kay/Abilene Wildcats) 3:01.74
May 23
Women
100m First Round:7th Bertrand 11.16/+0.2;
48th (8h6) Reese Webster (Liberty/Concorde) 18.40
200m First Round: 26th Bertrand 23.39/+0.1
Javelin Qualifying: 45th Antonia Sealey (South Florida/FAD) 40.24
May 22
Men
100m First Round: 15th (4h3) Lewis 10.39/-1.4
400m First Round: 35th (6h5) Mc Kay 47.36
West Regionals
University of Arkansas, Fayettevillle, Arkansas
May 25
Women
400m hurdles Second Round: 8th Rae-Anne Serville (USC/Memphis Pioneers) 56.88 pb
4x100m First Round: 11thh Texas State (Taejha Badal/Memphis Pioneers) 43.85
4x400m First Round: 3rd USC 3:27.28
May 24
Men
100m Second Round: 13th Devin Augustine (Minnesota/Point Fortin New Jets) 10.08/+2.5
200m Second Round: 10th Augustine 20.36/+2.1
4x100m First Round: 18th Minnesota (Devin Augustine) 40.09
Triple jump Qualifying: 6th Kelsey Daniel (Texas/Kaizen Panthers) 15.91/+1.7
High jump Qualifying: 14th Aaron Antoine (Kansas State/Neon Wolves) 2.14
4x400m First Round: 16th Houston (Dillon Leacock) 3:06.07
May 23
Women
100m First Round: 41st Badal 11.47/+3.7
200m First Round: 37th Badal 23.35/+2.4 400m hurdles First Round:7th (2h2) Serville 57.12 (pb)
May 22
Men
100m First Round: 11th Augustine 10.28/+0.6
200m First Round: 12th Augustine 20.66/+0.4
400m hurdles First Round: 39th Leacock 52.73
Long jump Qualifying: 30th Daniel (Texas) 7.40
