Thirty-two Jamaican student-athletes are set to compete at the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, scheduled for June 10-13 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The group includes 14 women and 18 men spread across sprints, hurdles, middle-distance races, jumps and throws.
The four-day meet will air on ESPN and ESPN2, with each session beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Men’s competition opens Wednesday, June 10, followed by the women on Thursday, June 11. The men’s finals are scheduled for Friday, with the women’s championship events set for Saturday.
The seed marks listed below are based on performances recorded at the NCAA East and West First Round regional qualifying meets held two weekends ago and are used to determine championship seeding. In many cases, athletes have posted faster times or better marks earlier in the season than those reflected by their championship seed.
Dejanea Oakley, Shenese Walker Lead Jamaican Women at NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene
Florida State’s Shenese Walker enters the women’s 100 meters as the highest-seeded Jamaican after clocking 10.88 seconds at the NCAA East First Round. The former Hydel and St. Jago standout is expected to challenge for a place on the podium in Eugene.
Carleta Bernard of Texas (11.01) and Gabrielle Matthews of Florida (11.02) will also contest the women’s 100m. Matthews is entered in the 200m as well, carrying a regional qualifying mark of 22.78.
The women’s 400m features two Jamaicans. Georgia’s Dejanea Oakley enters with a seed time of 49.48, but her season and personal best of 48.92, done at the SEC Championships, which is also the fastest time in the world this year. Northwestern State’s Rushana Dwyer qualified in 50.81.
Three Jamaicans advanced in the women’s 100m hurdles. Janela Spencer of Ohio State leads the trio with 12.79, followed by Clemson’s Oneka Wilson at 12.88 and Texas Tech’s Toni-Ann Forbes at 12.92.
In the field events, West Virginia’s Aknishka McDonald will compete in the high jump. Kansas State’s Aaliyah Lindsay enters the long jump, while Clemson’s Shantae Foreman will contest both the long jump and triple jump. Texas A&M’s Macheda Linton joins Foreman in the triple jump competition.
Britannie Johnson of Purdue represents Jamaica in the women’s shot put, while Texas A&M’s Abigail Martin lines up in the discus throw after qualifying with a mark of 57.98 meters.
Ralford Mullings, Kimar Farquharson Headline Men’s Challenge at NCAA Outdoor Championships
Texas A&M’s Kimar Farquharson leads the Jamaican men in the 400 meters. The former Calabar High standout qualified with a regional mark of 45.30 and enters Eugene among the leading contenders. He ran a personal best 45.18 in the prelims at West Regionals last month.
Jamaica will be strongly represented in the men’s 800m through Arkansas teammates Tyrice Taylor and Rivaldo Marshall. Taylor, a product of Vere Technical, qualified in 1:44.35, while Marshall advanced with 1:45.10.
The men’s 110m hurdles is another event packed with Jamaican talent. Baylor’s Demario Prince enters with a seed time of 13.22, while Clemson’s Sharvis Simmonds (13.39) and Arkansas’ Jerome Campbell (13.42) are also expected to challenge for places in the final. Additional Jamaican representation comes from Jaheim Stern and Nazzio John.
LSU’s Jordan Turner qualified for the men’s long jump with 7.91m, while Kansas State’s Apalos Edwards enters the triple jump with 16.65m.
Jamaica Dominates the Throws
The throws events provide Jamaica’s deepest representation at the championships.
In the men’s shot put, Texas’ Shaiquan Dunn qualified with 18.81m, while Oregon’s Kobe Lawrence advanced with 18.69m.
The men’s discus features six Jamaicans, making it the most heavily represented event among the Jamaican contingent. Oklahoma’s Ralford Mullings leads the group with a regional mark of 64.51m, followed by Florida State’s Shamar Reid (64.22m), USC’s Racquil Broderick (62.66m), Alabama’s Trevor Gunzell (61.77m), LSU’s Chad Hendricks (58.30m) and Alabama’s Christopher Young (58.26m).
Jamaica is also well represented in the men’s javelin through Brandon Falconer of Mount St. Mary’s and Louisiana’s Jemar Ferguson, who qualified with marks of 67.28m and 66.20m, respectively.
With qualifiers across 17 events, Jamaica once again boasts one of the strongest international contingents at the NCAA Championships. The performances over four days in Eugene will provide another measure of the island’s impressive collegiate pipeline and could offer a glimpse of future stars for Jamaica’s senior national teams.
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