National record holders Semoy Hackett and Wayne Davis are among 18 local athletes who will compete in the 2012 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, USA beginning later today and ending on Saturday. Hackett, who sped to a national women’s 200m record of 22.55 in taking second place at the NCAA East Regionals in Florida on May 26, will contest the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m events for her Louisiana State University team. The Bishops High graduate is making her second trip to the NCAA Division 1 finals and will be aiming to improve on her 6th place finish in the 200m finals in last year. The 2009 World Championships 100m semifinalist will also be looking to match her success at the Division 2 championships where she struck double gold in the 100m and 200m in 2009 and 2010 whilst a student of Lincoln University before transferring to LSU. Standing in her way is her school mate Kimberlyn Duncan who has the quickest times in both sprints of 10.94w and 22.22 respectively. Hackett is at number sixth in the 100m with her pb of 11.10 and is the second fastest in the half lap (22.55).
Kai Selvon will also contest the 100m, 200m and 4x100m for Auburn University. Hackett is tipped to finish fifth in the 100m and second in the 200m, according to the latest NCAA Form Chart predictions. Davis (Texas A&M) is among the starters in the men’s 100m hurdles and is the third fastest in the field with his national record run of 13.37 at the Big 12 Championships on May 11. Davis was sixth in last year’s finals and has been picked for fifth spot. The 2007 World Youth Champion competed for the USA until he began running for T&T earlier this year. Durrel Busby (Wisconsin-Milwaukee) is also among the starters. Reigning double bronze medallist Annie Alexander (Tennessee), Shawn Fermin (Washington State), T’Keyah Dumoy (Florida International), Hilenn James (Georgia) and Ashlee Smith (McNeese) are the other T&T women competing while Deon Lendore (Texas A&M), Zwede Hewitt (Baylor), the LSU trio of Kyron Blaise, Shermund Allsop and Ade Alleyne-Forte, Durrel Busby (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Emmanuel Mayers (Mississippi State), Emmanuel Stewart (Morgan State), Richard Collingwood (Southern Mississippi) and Jamol James (Tennessee) will be the local men in action. James will also contest the shot put while Smith is scheduled to do battle in the discus. Fermin will in line up in the women’s 400m and will be part of Washington State’s 4x100m line up. Dumoy will also contest the 4x100m event.
-Clayton Clarke
Source: www.guardian.co.tt