Busy Kalawan scores big at NCAA Champs

Jamaica's Shannon Kalawan almost singlehandedly put St Augustine's University in second place at the NCAA Division 2 Outdoor Track and Field Championship on the weekend. Kalawan, a 2016 World Under-20 400 metres hurdles silver medal winner, won two individual events and anchored a triumphant relay team on a busy final day display in Charlotte, North Carolina.

However, the efforts of the former Edwin Allen Comprehensive High School star couldn't deny Lincoln University and its Jamaican head coach Victor 'Poppy' Thomas.

It's the eighth time Lincoln's women have won an NCAA outdoor title. All eight have occurred since Thomas, who was a noted hurdles coach at Camperdown High and STATHS, took over. During his tenure, Lincoln has also won four NCAA indoor women's team title.

Lincoln scored 60 points with former St Jago High athlete Diana Caldwell winning the triple jump with a last round stunner of 13.16 metres to add to a long jump silver. Caldwell closed her fine weekend with a first leg contribution to Lincoln's winning 4x100m team. She handed off to Rene Medley, formerly of Vere Technical High, who took the 200m in 23.22 seconds after taking a silver medal in the 100m.

In that event, Medley was one position ahead of fellow Jamaican Diana Johnson of Adams State University. Johnson had taken the 60 metres over Medley in March at the NCAA Divsion 2 Indoor Championships.

Kalawan started the final day with sprint relay duty at 2.35 p.m. and came back with a lifetime best 52.05 seconds to take first in the 400m at 3.35 p.m. That run led a St Augustine one - two with team-mate Amanda Crawford. Lincoln had Jamaican Renee Ambersley place third in 53.18 seconds.

At 4.40 p.m, Kalawan easily took her 400m hurdles speciality in 57.27 seconds.

Her last act was a 52.5 second anchor of the winning St Augustine's 4x400 relay team. When all was said and done, the diminutive Jamaican had scored 20 points with her two individual wins. As part of both St Augustine's baton quartets, she aided the institution to tally 13 more points.

"I was really nervous coming into this championship," Kalawan said. "I was struggling with a little hamstring problem, but I am proud of myself, my team-mates and my coach for pushing me."

There were no Jamaican wins on the men's side of the meet but Kalawan's compatriot and St Augustine's colleague Najir Jackson and Chad Miller put notable numbers on the board. Jackson threw 71.56 metres to grab the second spot in the javelin, while Miller ran a personal best 49.72 seconds to give American International University eight points for second in the 400 metre hurdles.

Timor Barrett, the former Carifta Games winner, was third in 50.85 seconds for Johnson C Smith University.