EUGENE, Ore. — The 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field delivered a historic day for Jamaican athletics Friday, as national record-holder and reigning champion Ralford Mullings of the University of Oklahoma successfully defended his men’s discus throw title in spectacular fashion.
Competition against a stacked field of top collegiate throwers, Mullings got out to an early lead, holding the top position on the leaderboard from the very first round of throws. His lead did not go unchallenged, however: Air Force’s Texas Tanner surged past the defending champion in the middle rounds, pushing Mullings to deliver a career-level performance to retain his crown. Responding to the pressure in the fourth round, Mullings unleashed a winning throw of 65.81 meters, enough to secure his second consecutive national title and cement his status as one of the top young discus throwers in the world.
The men’s discus event turned into a Jamaican showcase, as compatriots filled multiple top-six finishing positions. Racquel Broderick of the University of Southern California took second place overall, notching a new personal best of 64.15 meters to complete a one-two sweep for Jamaican athletes. Two more Jamaican competitors hit new lifetime best marks to finish in the top five: University of Alabama’s Christopher Young placed fifth with a throw of 62.30 meters, while Florida State University’s Shamar Reid tied Young’s mark to take sixth place. Two additional Jamaican athletes also competed in the final: Alabama’s Trevor Gunzel finished 14th with a 58.90-meter throw, and LSU’s Chad Hendricks recorded a throw of 55.40 meters to round out the Jamaican contingent.
Jamaican athletes also turned in strong performances in other men’s events on the third day of competition, though not all claimed top spots. In the men’s 800-meter run, an upset shook up the final results: Colin Sahlman of Northern Arizona outpaced two Jamaican teammates from the University of Arkansas to take the national title. Sahlman crossed the finish line in 1:44.22, edging out Arkansas’ Tyrice Taylor, who finished second in 1:44.30. Taylor’s teammate Rivaldo Marshall took third place with a time of 1:44.93. In the men’s 110-meter hurdles, Baylor University’s Demario Prince clocked a time of 13.25 seconds to secure sixth place in the national final.
Reporting by Paul A Reid