For the first time ever, The Bahamas was represented by four athletes in the women’s 400 meters (m) at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
University of Tennessee Volunteers’ senior Javonya Valcourt, University of Florida Gators’ junior Quincy Penn, Texas A&M University Aggies’ senior Lacarthea Cooper, and Texas Tech University Red Raiders’ senior Collinique Farrington, were all in action in the semifinals of that event on Thursday, and all four turned in respectable showings in their respective races.
At the end of the day, Valcourt would be the only one moving on to the final, finishing second in her heat, and qualifying sixth overall, in 50.75 seconds. She will run in the final on Saturday.
The 2026 NCAA Championships is ongoing over at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon’s campus in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
Valcourt ran out of lane six in the second of three semifinal heats on Thursday, with University of Southern California (USC) Trojans’ junior Madison Whyte ahead of her in lane seven. Valcourt paced herself off Whyte, and as they rounded the final bend, it was a battle to the finish. They came into the tape almost at the same time, with Whyte edging Valcourt by two one hundredths of a second, finishing in 50.73 seconds.
Penn ran in the same heat as Valcourt, and finished fourth out of lane eight, and 10th overall, in 51.33 seconds, just missing the final.
The top qualifier for the final, University of Georgia Bulldogs’ senior Dejanea Oakley won the first heat in 49.93 seconds.
Cooper ran out of lane four in the third heat, and finished sixth in that heat, and 17th overall, in 51.65 seconds.
Farrington ran in the same heat as top qualifier Oakley. Running out of lane nine, she crossed the finish line in eighth place in that heat, and was 20th overall, in 51.96 seconds.
All four ladies also competed in the women’s 4x400m relay.
Valcourt and the Vols finished second in their semifinal heat in 3:25.21 and are an automatic qualifier for the final on Saturday, qualifying fourth overall. Valcourt ran the second leg.
Penn and the Gators were third in their semifinal heat in 3:26.06, qualifying for the final sixth overall. Penn led off for the Gators.
Cooper and the Aggies finished fifth in their semifinal heat in 3:30.92 and were 16th overall, failing to qualify for the final. Cooper anchored the Aggies.
Farrington and the Red Raiders ran in the same heat as Cooper and the Aggies. They were edged out for fifth, finishing sixth in that heat, and 17th overall, in 3:30.93. Farrington led off for the Red Raiders.
The University of Arkansas Razorbacks are the fastest qualifier for the final, running 3:21.90 on Thursday.
Meanwhile in the women’s 4x100m relay on Thursday, Bahamian Troynelle Miller and the University of Central Arkansas Sugar Bears finished seventh in their heat, and were 19th overall in 44.44 seconds, failing to qualify for the final on Saturday.
Miller, a senior, ran the leadoff leg for the Sugar Bears. The qualified for the NCAAs, finishing 11th overall at the NCAA West Preliminary Round competition at the University of Arkansas’ John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas, two weeks ago. At that time, Miller and her teammates ran 44.57 seconds.
Miller and her teammates had a season’s best time of 44.29 seconds, done at the 2026 Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, in May.
The NCAA Track and Field Championships continue today and will wrap up tomorrow.
Antone Smith, a freshman for the University of Arizona Wildcats, will compete in the men’s triple jump competition today.
Calea Jackson, a junior for the University of Miami Hurricanes, will be in action in the women’s discus final on Saturday.
Bahamian national record holder in the men’s javelin Keyshawn Strachan, a junior for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers, won a silver medal in that competition on Wednesday, throwing 80.65m (264’ 7”). The other Bahamian in that event, Kaden Cartwright, finished 19th overall with a throw of 68.02m (223’ 2”). Cartwright is a freshman for the Mississippi State University Bulldogs.
Zion Campbell and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers failed to finish their semifinal race in the men’s 4x100m relay on Wednesday, and they didn’t advance to the final.
The Bahamian, a junior, led off the relay for the Gophers, and they appeared to be in good position until a mishap on the final exchange.
