Texas Tech sprinter Terrence Jones runs world's third-fastest 60 meters this season
Texas Tech track and field star Terrence Jones had had a rather ordinary indoor season the past month by his lofty standards — nothing to worry about, given the long year of competition ahead of him that could include the Olympics in Paris.
On Friday night at the Sports Performance Center, though, Jones reminded everyone he can turn in a breathtaking performance at any moment.
The Red Raiders' 6-foot-4 senior ran the 60 meters in 6.47 seconds, the third-fastest time in the world this year. Two years ago, Jones tied the NCAA record with a 6.45, and last year he won the NCAA title with a 6.46. He'd not come close to breaking 6.5 in four previous races this season.
"It's good to see positive results, even though I'm still in that training phase," Jones said after the run that gave him the NCAA lead this season. "I'm not really where I'm supposed to be at right now, so to see 6.4 right now is definitely a confidence boost."
Jones will go to Boston next month with a chance to become the fourth Division I sprinter to win the NCAA title in the men's 60 more than once. The others were Oklahoma's DaBryan Blanton, Florida's Jeff Demps and TCU's Ronnie Baker.
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The only two men with better times this year are Noah Lyles and Ackeem Blake, who ran 6.44 and 6.45 last weekend at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston.
"It feels good to be clashing heads with the elites, makes me feel like I'm doing something right most of the time," Jones said.
Jones made his big run on opening night of the two-day Jarvis Scott Open, and he wasn't alone among Tech sprinters turning in strong performances.
Rosemary Chukwuma, Success Umukoro move into top five in NCAA Division I ranking
In the women's 60, Rosemary Chukwuma won in 7.10, and Success Umukoro took second in a personal record 7.15. Alyssa Colbert knocked out a 7.17 the week before at Kansas State, so the Tech women now have three of the top six times in Division I this season.
The run by Chukwuma and Umukoro set off a celebration, one that was topped moments later when Jones and teammates Don'Dre Swint and Antoine Andrews ran 1-2-4 in the men's final. Swint's 6.49 and Andrews' 6.58 were personal records.
Chukwuma, who's had foot and hamstring issues, was running the 60 in a meet for only the second time this season.
"Everyone, for the most part, stepped up," Tech assistant sprints coach Zach Glavash said. "Coach Rob (Calvin Robinson) has got those girls (performing). ... Success has made so many big steps in the last few weeks, and Rosemary coming back her first time, it's so great to see her going again.
"And the guys' 60 might be the fastest 60 in NCAA history from top to bottom. Debo (Swint), what a rock star. And Terrence, we've been training hard and he just had to find his flow."
Swint's performance added to an already stellar season for the second-year transfer from Florida State, and it was his first time to dip under 6.5.
"I'm really more excited to see my teammate (Swint) finally put it together," Jones said, "because it's something that's been on his back for a long time. To see him finally run that 6.4, I'm over the moon proud for him right now."
Anne-Suzanna Fosther-Katta, Kaithon McDonald jump into NCAA D-I top 10
On Saturday, returning all-American Anne-Suzanna Fosther-Katta opened her season by going an even 44 feet in the triple jump, ninth in Division I this season. Fosther-Katta, a graduate student from Paris, France, has been nagged by knee problems in each of her two years at Tech.
Last year, she opened up late as well, but still won the indoor Big 12 triple-jump title and was a first-team all-American both indoor and outdoor.
"I came here with both knee problems," she said. "I'm trying to build more strength and getting more muscles to have my knees in good health. It's still complicated sometimes, but we are getting there."
Three men topped out at 7-2 1/2 in the high jump, including two from Tech who set personal records: Aleksandr Gerasimov in second place and Kaithon McDonald in third.
"I knew it was coming," said McDonald, jumping in his second meet of the season coming back from an ankle injury. "I just didn't know it was coming yet, so I surprised myself."
Gerasimov, a freshman who's redshirting at his request, competed unattached so his performance, though a personal record, doesn't count in the NCAA ranking.
McDonald and Tech's Omamuyovwi Erhire, who cleared 7-2 1/2 the week before at Kansas State, are among four men tied for ninth in Division I. After conference championship meets, the top 16 in individual events advance to the NCAA championships.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech's Terrence Jones runs world's third-best 60 meters this year
