Janelle Redhead shines at NAIA Indoor Champs

by Michael Bascombe

GENEVA, OH, March 3, 2012 – Grenada’s Janelle Redhead copped gold and silver medals and also established two school marks at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Spire Institute here on Saturday.

Redhead (Wayland Baptist) captured the women’s 400m title in 53.25 seconds, eclipsing the school’s record of 54.59 seconds and also missing out on the National Championship record of 53.05 seconds.

She was ahead of Verone Chambers of Jamaica (Oklahoma Baptist) in 53.39 seconds and Stacy Warrior (Oklahoma Baptist) in 54.03.

Redhead also turned in a school record when she finished second in the 200m with an indoor personal best of 23.11 seconds to better her previous best of 23.68 in Fayetteville last month and the school’s 24.02 set by Kimberly Smith in 2010.

Redhead also combined with Bianca Grant, Leandria Lee and Natasha Gay in the women’s 4x400m Relay to finish fourth in 3:43.59.

Redhead and her teammates will now prepare for the outdoor season which begins on March 24 with the Bobby Lane Invitational at the University of Texas – Arlington.

“I will be concentrating on the sprints for the outdoor season but will compete in at least one 400m,” Redhead said following the NAIA Championships.

Last April she ran her personal best of 22.91 and is aiming to go low 22 this season. “Once I stay healthy and free from any injury I believe I could achieve this target,” she said.

“I am in good shape despite some soreness with the hamstring.”

Redhead, like her brother Joel, is a founding member of SpeedZone Track Club and is attempting to improve on her Olympic Qualifying time in the 200m.