Akela Jones has already won one national title while advancing to the finals of three other events today among the highest ranked athletes.
Jones, a freshman at Oklahoma Baptist University, won the long jump at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Outdoor Championships in Indiana on Friday evening with a season’s best 6.35 metres.
In sixth place after the first round of her flight with 5.61 metres, Jones steadily improved, raising her jumps to 5.74 and 5.84 metres in successive rounds.
The winning leap came in the fourth round. She fouled the fifth attempt and passed in the final round as the nearest competitor, Lauren Corbitt, of Langston, did not improve on the 6.05 metres she did in the first round.
Neeia Cooperwood, of Morningside, was third with 5.98 metres.
Jones also advancedto today’s finals of the 100 metres and 100 metres hurdles.
Yesterday, she clocked the second fastest time of 14 seconds flat in the 100 metres hurdles behind Tyler Sloan, of Baker, who did 13.80 seconds.
The 18-year-old also produced a personal best 11.59 seconds (wind reading not available) to win her heat in the 100 metres.
Jones’ Oklahoma Baptist team has the third fastest time of 46.95 seconds in the 4×100 metres relay and she will also be competing in the high jump.
Meanwhile, Sade Sealy, of Illinois State, advanced to the finals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division One Outdoor Championships set for later this month.
Sealy was second in her 400 metres heat on Thursday night at the West Regionals with a time of 52.99 seconds.
 However, neither Missouri State’s Althia Maximilien (54.30) nor Shandel Ellis, of Illinois State, (56.25) advanced.
Kansas State’s Sonia Gaskin secured her spot in the finals, fourth in her heat in 2 minutes 08.64 seconds in the 800 metres.
Houston’s Sade-Mariah Greenidge came up short in the 400 metres hurdles with a time of 61.51 seconds.
At the Division 2 Championships in Pueblo, Colorado, both Burkheart Ellis Jr and Cherrisse Lynch reached their respective 400 metres finals, ranked sixth overall.
Ellis did a personal best 46.51 and Lynch 54.24, also a personal best. Ellis is in the finals of the 4×100 metres relay, the team ranked third overall.
The meets continue today.
