Source: www.trinidadexpress.com

By Kwame Laurence kwame.laurence@trinidadexpress.com

Trinidad and Tobago's Tonya Nero qualified for the June 8-11 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships when she finished first in the NCAA West Preliminary women's 10,000 metres event, in Oregon, USA, late on Thursday.

The Wichita State University senior led all qualifiers into the 10K final. Her time was more than 24 seconds faster than the clocking produced by the winner at the East Preliminary meet, in Indiana.

Baylor University's Zwede Hewitt finished third in heat one to earn an automatic berth in yesterday's West Preliminary men's 400m quarter-finals. He clocked 46.42 seconds.

The top 12 finishers in the quarters earned a ticket to next month's Championships.

Another T&T quarter-miler, University of North Texas senior Darnell Greig, also ran in heat one, but did not finish the race.

University of Minnesota sophomore Alena Brooks and University of Wyoming senior Afiya Walker were on show in the West Preliminary women's 400m quarters, yesterday. On Thursday, they advanced automatically.

Brooks finished third in heat one in 54.41 seconds, while Walker clocked 54.65 for third spot in heat four.

Another T&T athlete, Washington State University's Shawna Fermin, was fifth in heat six in 55.78 and did not qualify for the quarters.

Carissa Leacock was eliminated in the women's long jump. The University of Iowa freshman finished 25th with a 5.83m leap.

At the East Preliminary meet, on Thursday, Semoy Hackett won heat two in the women's 100m to cruise into yesterday's quarters. The Louisiana State University (LSU) junior got to the line in 11.43 seconds.

In the women's 400m, Florida State University (FSU) senior Britney St Louis clocked 54.65 to finish fourth in heat two, securing a berth in yesterday's quarter-final round as a "fastest loser".

University of Southern Mississippi sophomore Robert Collingwood threw 16.82m to finish 23rd in the men's shot put. The top 12 throwers qualified for next month's NCAA Championships.

And Ade Alleyne-Forte bowed out in the opening round of the men's 400m. The LSU junior was fifth in heat six and 28th overall in 48.07 seconds.