Medals for Grenadian athletes in US College Champs

Colleen Felix

By Michael Bascombe

NEW YORK, February 28, 2012 - Three Grenadian athletes tasted victories last weekend in Collegiate Track and Field Meets in the United States.

The wins were all in field events as Colleen Felix, Kurt Felix and Daryl Baptise continue to dominate their respective events.

Returning to competition since undergoing major surgery last season, Felix (Colleen) captured the Women’s Triple Jump at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Indoor Championships in Lexington, Kentucky.

The University of Georgia’s Senior produced the winning jump of 13.01 metres in her second attempt after fouling in her opening attempt. This was Georgia’s first SEC title of this year’s meet and is the eighth-best mark in the United States this season.

Kurt Felix

"It feels good to win again, although I know I could have done better," said Felix, who now owns two of the three conference titles in the indoor event for the Georgia women and becomes the first Lady Bulldog to have back-to-back indoor crowns since Jenny Dahlgren (weight throw, 2006-07). "I did better than in my other competition this season and I'm glad to win. But I'm not proud of my mark. I felt good going into today but I wasn't sure what the others in the field would bring. I still have a lot of work to go before nationals."

Meantime, Kurt Felix easily won the Men’s Heptathlon at the Mountain West (MW) Track and Field Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Centre. Felix, a senior at Boise State, also earned the MW Men’s Top Point Performer honour after totalling 29.5 points over the three-day meet.

Felix racked up victories in the 60m (7.04), long jump (7.54m), shot put (12.81m) and high jump (2.11m). He was fourth in the 60m hurdles (8.41), sixth in the pole vault (4.45m) and fourth in the 1000m (2:56.31) to totalled 5,703 points.

Daryl Baptiste

Also in winners’ row on the weekend was Daryl Baptiste, who was named Most Outstanding Field Performer at the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships at the Stile Athletics Field House at the University of Akron (UA).

Baptiste, a Junior at UA, won the long jump event with a leap of 7.40 metres and then wrapped up his exploits in the triple jump with 14.96m. Except for his third attempt of 6.63m, Baptiste always led the long jump charge with 7.10, 7.18, 7.21, 7.10 and his final and winning attempt of 7.40m.

Also competing on the weekend was Sherine Wells (Oklahoma University) at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, hosted by Texas A&M at the Gilliam Indoor Stadium in College Station, Texas. Wells clocked 7.64 in the Women’s 60m and 24.39 in the 200m preliminaries.

Wells teamed up with Shakeeri Cole, Claire McConnell and Shelleyeka Rolle in the 4x400m relay to run a season’s best time of 3:43.53 to finish eighth in the event.

Photos Credits: University of Georgia, Boise State, University of Akron