Andrew Riley

FORMER Calabar High School outstanding hurdler Andrew Riley, who is the defending champion in the men's 110 metres hurdles event, will lead 17 Jamaicans into the final college track and field meet of the season, the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The list includes 10 females and seven males.

Following last year's surprise victory, Riley, who will don his spikes for the University of Illinois, will be hoping to become the first Jamaican ever to make it back to back victory at the meet in the 110 metres hurdles. He will be the top athlete in the event following his personal best of 13.32 seconds, done two weeks ago at the West Preliminary meetin Eugene, Oregon.

Two otherJamaicans, in former Kingston College hurdler Keiron Stewartand former St Jago High hurdler, Ackeem Smith, are also down to compete in the event. Stewart booked his ticket for the University of Texas at the same meet in Oregon, where hewon hisquarter-final heatin 13.46 seconds, to be the fourth best qualifier going into the championships.

Smith, who now attends the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), will be hoping for a massive improvement as his qualifying time of 13.90 seconds done at the East Preliminary meet at Indiana University is the lowest seed going into the championships.

hoping to improve

Former St Jago High athlete Riker Hyltonwill be theotherJamaican down to take the track among the males in individual event. Hylton, who is a junior at the Louisiana State University (LSU), will be hoping to improve on his45.87 seconds where he is ranked seven in the men's 400 metres.

Three Jamaicans willbe in action in the field events as Julian Reid, Tarik Batchelor and Nicholas Gordon will be seeking glory. Reid, who is in his final season for Texas A&M University, will be hoping to end on a high in the men's triple jump where he is ranked fifth with 16.02 metres.

Batchelor, formerly of Kingston College, who now competes for the University of Arkansas, and former Calabar High school jumper Nicholas Gordon will be competing in the men's long jump.