Aggies Latario Collie, Shavez Hart earn World Championship berths

Jun 26, 2015 | Track and Field

A pair of Aggies won titles in the Bahamas Championships on Friday to secure a trip to the World Championships in Beijing, China, this summer. Shavez Hart claimed a victory in the 100 meters for the second consecutive year while Latario Collie captured his first national title in the triple jump.

In Nassau, Bahamas, Hart clocked a winning time of 10.26 (0.1 wind) in the final. Last year Hart won the Bahamas title in a then career best of 10.11, which he improved to 10.10 this season in Waco during the Michael Johnson Classic in May.

Collie reached a mark of 55-7 ½ (16.95) to defeat the field of six triple jumpers. He bettered the runner-up effort of veteran Leevan Sands (54-7 ½|16.64) by exactly a foot. Collie has a wind-aided best of 56-7 ¼ (17.25) this season as well as a 56-4 ½ (17.18) from that same series at the SEC Championships.

At the USATF Championships held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, former Aggie All-American Jeneba Tarmoh placed fourth in the 100 final as Texas A&M volunteer assistant Ariana Ince finished fifth in the javelin. A berth in into the 400 final was attained by former Aggie NCAA champion Jessica Beard while A&M sophomore Shamier Little advanced to the semifinal of the 400 hurdles.

Competing at the Trinidad & Tobago national championships, Aggie All-American Janeil Bellille won her heat of the 400 in 53.40, which was the top qualifying time for the finals. Bellille finished ahead of Kineke Alexander, who posted a 53.45 as runner-up.

In Eugene, Tarmoh clocked a time of 10.93 (1.2 wind) in the 100 final at the USATF Championships as she missed third place by 0.01. Tori Bowie won the race in 10.81 over a 10.86 from English Gardner while Oregon's Jasmin Todd secured third place with a 10.92. In the semifinals, Tarmoh ran 10.98 (1.5 wind) for third place in the first heat.

A throw of 190-9 (58.14) placed Ince fifth in the USATF javelin final. It was the third best throw of Ince's career. Kara Winger won the competition with a 213-1 (64.94) as Brittany Bormann placed second with a 202-9 (61.80) and Texas Tech's Hannah Carson claimed third at 195-5 (59.57).

Beard used a strong finish in her semifinal heat of the 400 to post a time of 50.68 and place fourth, earning advancement to the final ahead of London Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross, who placed fifth in 50.95. It was the second fastest time in Beard's career, following her PR of 50.56 from 2009.

Running in lane three during the first round of the 400 hurdles, Little cruised to a 56.24 victory to advance to the semifinal on Saturday. Runner-up to Little in her heat was Kentucky's Leah Nugent with a 56.65 while Dalilah Muhammad finished third at 56.70.

At the USATF Junior Championships in Eugene, Alison Ondrusek placed fifth in the hammer while Shaina Burns finished seventh in the heptathlon.

Ondrusek improved each round as she hit a mark of 179-4 (54.67) in the fifth stanza before fouling her final attempt. Her series amid the first four rounds included 173-8 (52.93), 177-4 (54.55), 178-11 (54.55) and 179-1 (54.60).

Burns scored 4,902 points in the heptathlon for seventh place. Her second day of the multi-event included a long jump of 17-3 ½ (634 points), a javelin throw of 127-0 (643 points) and a 2:37.01 in the 800 (608 points).

Finals on Saturday in the USATF Championships includes Shelbi Vaughan in the discus at 2:45 p.m. (CT) and Beard in the 400 at 4:32 p.m. The semifinal for Little in the 400 hurdles will be at 3:37 p.m.

Jena Hemann starts of Saturday action for the Aggies in the heptathlon at 1 p.m. (CT). Prelims in the 200 meters includes action for Kamaria Brown, Porscha Lucas, Tarmoh, Ameer Webb and Curtis Mitchell.

In the USATF Junior Championships finals occur in the javelin for Kristen Clark as well as both men's and women's pole vault for the Aggie crew of Audie Wyatt, Emily Gunderson and Sara Kathryn Stevens.