Portious Warren made a successful start to her outdoor season, bagging bronze in the women's discus final at the Florida State University (FSU) Relays in Tallahassee, Florida, USA, yesterday.
The University of Alabama senior placed third with a best throw of 50.63 metres continuing on her fantastic indoor season where she closed off with a bronze in the women's shot put at the National College Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I Indoor Championships, two weekends ago.
"I’m so proud of myself and my coach for believing in me," said Warren following her final indoor meet. "I hit a couple of hiccups along the way but I was able to pull it together and regain focus. I had to remind myself that sometimes you have to fall to get back up and without consistency, there’s no progress. An all my accomplishments thus far just gives me the confidence to believe in my capabilities even more."
Her schoolmate Mauricia Prieto, a junior, has also been having an applauding season as well. At the FSU meet, she and her UA relay teams won gold in the 4x100m (44.31) and 4x400m (3:35.13). Prieto's 4x400m relay team clocked 3:33.67 at the NCAA Championships to place ninth.
Both Warren and Prieto have a routine before they head out to compete.
"Before every meet, I and Mauricia will put on our Soca music which really helps us get in the zone and get moving," said Warren. "However, what really hyped me up is seeing my teammate, Stacy who was the first up, go out there and give her all for the team, and I was up next so I just wanted to carry that momentum on for the lady’s coming behind us. So on the last throw I just focused on everything coach Yush told me and my promise to my teammate Haley when she didn’t make it to nationals, I told her I got her. So the fact that I wasn’t just competing for me, I was competing for my team, my hard work and my sacrifices made me hype," said Warren on her performance at the NCAA Indoors, hoping to use it to push her to do more in the outdoor season.
"For the rest of the season, my main focus is on improving my technique an getting the necessary qualification to represent my country at the World Championship later this year. I do have several meets before that and I intend to give them my all as well. Until then it’s focusing on making this Outdoor season here at the University of Alabama, the best one I have ever had."
Gittens, St Hillaire, Hislop golden
Last weekend, T&T's Tyra Gittens missed the entire indoor season but made a successful return to action, winning the women's high jump event at the Baldy Castillo Invitational hosted by Jeminise Parris' Arizona State University in the United States.
She joined a number of local athletes that were exceptional on the weekend at various National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I meets including Dwight St Hillaire of the University of Kentucky (UK), Louisiana State University (LSU) Akanni Hislop and Jenea Spinks of Texas Christian University.
Gittens of Texas A&M opened her sophomore campaign winning with a 1.81-metre and was named the women’s Southeastern Conference (SEC) "Field Athlete of the Week". She also competed in the javelin throw and her best throw measured 38.66m to place 15th.
Arizona State junior Parris raced in the women's 100m hurdles and finished fifth in the final with a 13.98 (0.4-wind). She did not leave empty-handed though as her 4x400m team was the runner-up in 3:43.51.
At San Antonia (UTSA) Invitational at the University of Texas, St Hillaire crossed the line first in the men's 400m with a time of 47.30 seconds. It was one of three gold medals won by the sophomore at the meet also getting success as part of the UK relay teams in the 4x100m (40.10) and 4x400m (3:13.13).
Hislop sprinted to victory in the men's 100m in a wind-assisted 10.45 at the Louisiana Classics, competing alongside hosts UTSA, Purdue, Texas, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The LSU junior also part of the sprint (4x100) relay team which won in 39.54. Xavier Mulugata, another LSU junior, competed in the dash and he placed seventh in 10.84.
Texas Christian University freshman Spinks impressed at her school's Invitational, winning the women's 100m in a wind-aided 11.58. Her relay team copped silver in the 4x100m in 45.38.
Coppin State junior Aaron Lewis had a podium finish in the men's 400m hurdles at the Maryland Invitational, with his 58.08-clocking placing him third. His schoolmate junior Nku Henry was ninth in the men's 400m in 54.19.
At the 11th annual Spring Classic, another local quartermiler was in action, Ako Hislop. The Fairleigh Dickinson freshman clocked 54.96 to place 36th in the men's 400m.
Grambling University junior Jeunice Maxime competed in three events at the TSU Relays (College/University) and won two team medals, with her 4x100m team placing second (48.29) and the 4x200 crossing third in 1:43.44. In her lone individual event, the women's 200m, Maxime placed eighth in 27.84 (0.7-wind) while at the Black and Gold Challenge in Florida, sophomore Sarah Wollaston's University of Central Florida 4x100m team was fifth (47.33).
On the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA), Central Arizona sophomore Cherisse Murray won silver in the women's shot put with a 16.01m-throw at the Willie Williams Classic College meet. She also competed in the discus throw and was fifth with 44.81m and also the hammer throw, finishing in the eighth spot with 36.22m.