Victor 'Poppy' Thomas

Samantha Elliot - File

Lincoln University's track and field coach, Jamaican Victor "Poppy" Thomas, picked up his seventh women's NCAA Division II outdoor title at the weekend.

Lincoln topped the three-day meet on the campus of Grand Valley State University in Allandale, Michigan, with 64 points to finish ahead of Johnson C. Smith University on 60. Johnson C. Smith is coached by Lennox Graham, a former Kingston College head coach.

The battle for the women's title went into the last event, the 4x400 metres. Going into the event, Lincoln had a one-point lead (54) to Johnson C. Smith's (53). Both had strong teams in the event; however, with an all-Jamaican quartet of Willowema Williams, Jhavere Hall, Donna Lee Hylton, and Tamara Keane, it was Lincoln who prevailed in the end, winning in 3:37.29. Johnson C. Smith, with Jamaicans Samantha Elliot and Danielle Williams in their line-up, were third in 3:40.53.

The overall victory surprised Thomas.

"We were not expected to win as this is our weakest team for the past four years. We had no super athletes, but, somehow, the young ladies were able to pull off a memorable win," said Thomas, who has also won four indoor titles with his team. Lincoln athletes failed to win any individual titles. In addition to the 4x400m, they also won the 4x100m in 45.34 seconds. The sprint relay team included former Manchester High athlete, Judith Riley, and former Holmwood Technical sprinter, Yanique Ellington.

winners

Elliot and Williams were individual winners for Johnson C. Smith. Elliot won the 400m hurdles in 57.12 seconds, ahead of St. Augustine's Tia Andrene Bell, who was second in 57.58. In a major upset, Elliot picked up a second win in the 100m hurdles final where she surprised teammate Williams. Both clocked 13.05 seconds, with Elliot getting the nod.

Williams, who won three individual titles a year ago, bounced back with a double in the sprints. She won the 100m easily in 11.55, with Ellington third in 11.75. In a close 200m final, Williams won in 23.48 to edge Lincoln's Janae Johnson (23.49).

Former Holmwood Technical athlete, Salcia Slack, competing for New Mexico Highland University, won the long jump with 6.32m. She was also third in the triple jump with 13.03m.

Olympian Roxroy Cato was the best-placed Jamaican male at the meet . Competing for men's champions St Augustine University, Cato captured the 400m hurdles in 49.75 seconds. He was also a member of the 4x400m team which won in 3:06.84.