Iowa Central CC Wins Pair of Titles At NJCAA Championships

By Chris Lotsbom, ArmoryTrack.com 

NEW YORK (08-March) -- Individual and team performances thrilled those in attendance here at the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships, with the men and women of Iowa Central being crowned team champions. After a 22-hour bus ride to get to The New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory from Fort Dodge, Iowa Central leaves with a pair of team titles and a total of eleven event crowns. 

Leading the Triton men was sophomore Tahir Chakisso, who went four for four, winning every event he entered. After taking the 5000 meters and 3000 meters on Friday, Chakisso --a native of Ethiopia who went to high school in Portland, Ore. -- won the mile in 4:10.91 then returned to the track for the 1000 meters, which he claimed in 2:26.98.

"I was surprised," said Chakisso, admitting he was a little tired. "We came here as a team, we come here to win a national championship as a team and not individually. I told my coach I'd do anything."

Chakisso's two wins on Saturday came in spectacular fashion, as the 22-year-old used an untouchable kick to pass the competition in the final meters.

"The last 200 meters I kind of get blocked out [mentally]. I give everything I got and leave everything on there," said Chakisso. If Chakisso was a one-man team, he would have finished seventh in the men's team standings.

Chakisso was just one of Iowa Central's key performers on Saturday. The Triton women kicked off day two with a win in the 4x800, as the quartet of Cidni Latimer, Mary Carr, Jessica James, and Cecilia David timed 9:33.31. 

A day after winning the preliminary round, Chris Caldwell earned another 10 points for the men's team by winning the 60m hurdles in 7.74 seconds. For the women, 16 additional points would be added in the 600 meters, with Jessica James taking the win in 1:32.13 and Adelaide Nkrumah placing third (1:33.61).

The women's 4x400 team claimed gold in 3:46.44 as well. 

"It was a great team performance. We scored a lot of points in a lot of different events. That's what really makes it a team performance. It's exciting to see that," said coach Dee Brown.

Ending the competition with 143 and 174.5 points, respectively, the men and women of Iowa Central were simply the class of the field.

While Iowa Central dominated the team competition, a number of individual shined from other schools. 

Latario Collie-Minns of Iowa Western CC blew away the competition in the men's triple jump. On just his second jump, Collie-Minns unleashed a 16.80m (55 feet, 1.5 inch) jump, solidifying his spot atop the podium. 

Collie-Minns's jump ranks 10th in the world this year, and would be #1 in the NCAA by more than a foot. It also would have qualified him for the IAAF World Indoor Championships triple jump final (being contested tomorrow) if he was competing for his native Bahamas at the meet in Sopot, Poland. 

"Today was successful," said the quiet Collie-Minns. "It tells me that I can jump even farther [this spring]."

Crediting his sound technique and speed, Collie-Minns is looking forward to the outdoor season. After that, he will likely transition to a NCAA Division I program along with his twin brother Lathone. Lathone placed second today with a leap of 52 feet, 1 inch (15.87m).

"We are really competitive," he said. "Warm-ups, jumps, everything."

Barton County CC's Lydia Mato capped off a meet to remember by winning the mile with a furious finishing kick in 5:07.47. With the win, Mato totaled 30 points for the competition, as she won both the 5000m and 3000m on Friday.

"I scored 30 points for my team and I am proud of that, my coaches are proud of that," said Mato, who hails from Ghana. "I am proud that I am the top runner."

Also earning a pair of wins for Barton County CC was Agnes Abu, timing 2:13.38 in the women's 800m and 2:55.56 in the 1000m. 

Below is a rundown of Day 2 winners: 

- The only athlete to throw beyond 56 feet in the men's weight throw was Coffeyville CC's Johnnie Jackson. Jackson's winning mark was 56-07.50 (17.26m). Adding 20 more points to Coffeyville's total was 60m dash and 200m winner Andre De Grasse (6.71 and 21.01 seconds, respectively).

- Allen County CC's Elesha Alyn won the women's triple jump with a leap of 40 feet, 3.25 inches (12.27m). Teammate Terika Henry took the women's 60m dash in 7.54 seconds.

- Simon Gyllensten of Vincennes, yesterday's pole vault champion, claimed the heptathlon with 5366 points. That is a new meet record.

- Colby CC won the men's 4x800m just ahead of Iowa Central CC, 7:45.84 to 7:46.82. Ashley Riley, the relay's second leg, returned to the track just over an hour later to claim the men's 600m in 1:18.67.

- Sharae Bates of Neosho County CC won the women's 60m hurdles by the slimmest of margins -.01 of a second- in 8.59 seconds. Placing second was Iowa Central CC's Altoniece Williams (8.60), with Allen County CC's Vanessa Style third in 8.66.

- Hinds CC placed three in the top five of the women's 400m, with Kimari Martin coming out on top in 54.48 seconds. Hinds CC also won the men's 4x400m relay in 3:10.63. Alfred Larry of Butler County CC was the men's 400m champion in 47.29.

- Andre Colebrook of Essex CC took the men's 800m in 1:51.35; Janet Amponsah of Western Texas was fastest in the women's 200m (23.82); Pima CC's Kaysee Pilgrim claimed the women's high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 6 inches; and Cowley County CC's Jamesia Milton won the women's weight throw by more than a foot, 56-02.50 her longest throw.

Full results can be found here, while pictures from the meet can be seen here.

Video replays are available here.