Nikaoli Williams takes second in men’s indoor long jump
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Nikaoli Williams of the University of Oklahoma finished second in the men’s long jump with 7.96m during Friday’s second session of the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships at the Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
It was sweet redemption for Williams who failed to make a legal mark last year and who finished 11th at the 2023 staging.
Meanwhile, six men advanced to their respective individual finals set for Saturday’s final day after Friday’s preliminaries.
Three men, led by Northern Colorado’s Jerome Campbell’s new personal best 7.54 seconds, got past the first round of the men’s 60m hurdles.
Campbell broke his previous best of 7.55 seconds and moved up to joint seventh on the Jamaican rankings with Phillip Lemonious, while Vashaun Vascianna of the University of Arkansas – 7.59 seconds and Jaheim Stern of Louisiana State University- 7.60 seconds also advanced.
Demario Prince of Baylor University also ran 7.60 seconds but was edged into ninth place.
Shaemer Uter of Texas Tech University who was sixth last year, qualified for the men’s 400m final after running 46.33 seconds and Travis Williams of the University of Southern California returns to the men’s 60m final after running 6.56 seconds in the preliminaries on Friday.
Demar Francis of Baylor also made progress in the men’s 200m clocking 20.70 seconds but Tyrice Taylor of Arkansas failed to advance in the men’s 800m after finishing 10th overall.
– Paul Reid