Promising college start for Farr, Freeman

Jeremy Farr and Daszay Freeman, winners at last year's ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs), made promising starts to their US college track and field careers at the weekend. Competing at home at the Arkansas Indoor Invitational on January 17, Farr had a win over 400m, while Freeman was a close second in the 60m hurdles.

Less than a year after he won the Class One 400m in 45.65 seconds for Wolmers' Boys School, Farr circled the Randall Tyson Track Centre in 47.47 seconds. The next best time was 48.69s. He later helped the University of Arkansas to victory in the 4x400m relay, running the second leg.

Freeman, winner of the 2019 Class One 100m hurdles for The Queen's School, missed the win in the 60m barrier event. Running for Arkansas, she clocked 8.38 seconds but lost by 0.05 to teammate G'una Edwards. The 2017 World Under-18 hurdles bronze medallist placed fourth in the 200m.

Freeman has followed famous footsteps to the University of Arkansas. In recent years, Arkansas has helped to hone the skills of three-time US collegiate 110m hurdles champion Omar McLeod and last year's 100m hurdles winner Janeek Brown.

There were twin Jamaican wins over 600m. Tarees Rhoden, last year's Kingston College captain, came close to the men's meet record with a winning time of 1:18.10 minutes. The meet record survived by a scant 0.07. At Champs, he set a personal best of 1:49.06 minutes in the Class One 800m final. He now attends Oklahoma Baptist University.

Rhoden's college teammate, the former St Andrew Technical High School star, Cameka Witter, won the women's event in 1:33.96 minutes.