Three Grenadians Advance to NCAA Championships in Eugene

by Michael Bascombe

NEW YORK, May 30, 2026 - Grenada will be represented by three athletes at the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships after a series of impressive performances at the East and West First Round meets in Lexington, Kentucky, and Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The trio consists of Jamora Alves of St John's University, Kelsie Murrell-Ross of the University of Georgia, and Nazzio John of Ohio State University.

Alves qualified in the Women's Discus Throw after another record-breaking performance at the NCAA East First Round in Lexington. The Grenadian national record holder unleashed a personal best throw of 57.56 metres to finish third overall and secure her place at the national championships.

The performance improved her own national and school records, which she had established just two weeks earlier at the BIG EAST Championships. It will be Alves' third appearance at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where she previously earned USTFCCCA All-America Honourable Mention recognition in 2023 and 2025.

Murrell-Ross also secured her place in Eugene after advancing in the Women's Shot Put. Competing for the University of Georgia, she recorded a best mark of 17.63 metres to finish among the qualifiers from the East Region.

The former Grenadian national junior standout has enjoyed a strong season in one of the most competitive conferences in collegiate athletics and will now have an opportunity to test herself against the nation's elite throwers.

On the track, Nazzio John continued his outstanding season for Ohio State University by qualifying for the Men's 200 metres and the Men's 4x100m relay.

John equalled his Grenadian national record in the 200m when he won his quarterfinal heat in 20.27 seconds with a legal wind reading of +0.9 metres per second. The performance secured automatic qualification for Eugene and reinforced his status as one of Grenada's premier sprint talents.

He will also return to Hayward Field as a member of Ohio State's 4x100m relay team, which successfully advanced through the regional qualifying round.

While three Grenadians secured places at the national championships, several others narrowly missed out on qualification despite producing noteworthy performances.

Jamara Patterson of Louisiana Tech continued her remarkable season in the Women's 400 metres. Although she fell short of advancing to Eugene, Patterson lowered her personal best during the regional competition, adding to a season that included a Conference USA title and a meet record performance.

Isaiah Patrick of the University of Alabama also missed qualification in the Men's 110m Hurdles, while Indiana University's D'Angelo Brown fell short in the Men's 800 metres despite enjoying a season highlighted by a Grenadian national record.

The 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held June 10-13 at the world-famous Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, where Grenada's trio will seek to conclude their collegiate seasons on the sport's biggest stage.