Beckford Qualifies to National Championship Finals on Day Three of East Prelims
BLOOMINGTON, Ind., May 27, 2022 – The University of South Florida track and field team completed the third day of the NCAA East Preliminary rounds in Bloomington, Ind., with Romaine Beckford (Portland, Jamaica) punching his ticket to Eugene, Ore. in the high jump.
"Everyone put forth competitive efforts today," said head coach Erik Jenkins, "They are competing against some of the best athletes in the world and fighting to earn a spot in the NCAA final round. We are happy that Romaine was able to advance to the final round."
Beckford, who earlier this year advanced to the NCAA Indoor Championships and was the 2021 NJCAA High Jump Champion, finished fifth in the East Prelims with a best jump of 2.18 meters (7-1.75). He was one of five to clear the highest jump, finishing in fifth on the day.
Eron Carter (Palatka, Fla.) placed in 13th with a throw of 55.64 meters (182-6), narrowly missing qualifications for the finals after competing in his second event of the week.
To wrap up the third day of competition, David Ajama (Lowell, Mass.) finished in 19th position with a leap of 15.48 meters (50-9.5) for the men's triple jump.
To close out the prelims on Saturday, the women's 4x100 relay of Zahria Allers-Liburd (Miami, Fla.), Shaniya Benjamin (Tampa, Fla.), Hannah Connell (Bridgetown, Barbados) and Kadesha Prescott (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) run at 5 p.m., while the 4x400 relay of Allers-Liburd, Benjamin, Connell and Sanique Walker (Manchester, Jamaica) runs at 8:45 p.m. Saturday also features the quarterfinals of the women's 100 hurdles with Connell and Davila at 6:15 p.m., and 400 hurdles with Walker at 7:25 p.m.
Twelve in each individual event and 12 relay teams at the East Prelims will advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon from June 8-11.
About USF Track and Field
The USF track and field team has earned 54 All-America selections and at least one All-American in 10 of the last 12 years, including a record eight athletes claiming 11 honors in 2021. Tampa native Shaniya Benjamin set a program record earning three All-American honors during the 2021 outdoor season, while triple jumper Matthew O'Neal, a 2016 graduate, became USF's first six-time NCAA All-American. Bulls have posted two NCAA runner-up finishes since 2013 - O'Neal (triple jump, 2016) and Courtney Anderson (high jump, 2013). Head coach Erik Jenkins took over the program in 2020 and in the 2021 outdoor season the Bulls posted seven program records and 40 top 10 all-time program marks. USF hosted the 2018 NCAA Track and Field East Preliminary and the 2021 AAC Outdoor Championship at the USF Track and Field Stadium located on the east end of campus.
– #GoBulls –
