Cockrell and Wilson both secure second international titles, with Smith and Drop producing first sweep of top two spots in women’s 5,000 meters in meet history for Americans to start three-day meet in Mexico; Wright sets long jump meet record

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

A pair of Team USA veterans in USC graduate Anna Cockrell and UCLA sophomore Alyssa Wilson, and an international newcomer on the American roster in Air Force graduate Jaci Smith captured gold medals Friday during the first session of the 10th North American Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) U-23 Championships at National Stadium in Queretaro, Mexico.

Cockrell, the 2016 World U-20 champion in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, added another gold medal to her resume by winning in 56.54 seconds. Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon captured silver in 56.83 and LSU’s Brittley Humphrey secured a bronze medal for the U.S. in 57.34.

Cockrell made it five consecutive championships for the Americans in the event, with Humphrey assuring the U.S. would collect multiple medals in the competition every meet since 2010.

Wilson, earning her fourth straight spot on a national team roster after World U-20 appearances in 2016 and 2018 along with the Pan Am U-20 Championships in 2017, captured her second career international gold medal.

Wilson prevailed in the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 209-9 (63.95m), marking the fourth consecutive competition the Americans have secured the title. North Dakota State’s Tasha Willing, representing Canada, grabbed the bronze medal with a throw of 195-2 (59.50m).

Wilson now has four international medals, including gold in the shot put at the 2017 Pan Am U-20 Championships in Peru.

Smith opened the meet by winning the 5,000 meters in 16:51.41, with Georgia’s Jessica Drop capturing silver in 17:33.81, marking the first time in meet history the Americans swept the top two spots.

Smith’s victory was the third straight 5,000 gold medal for the U.S. and sixth in meet history.

Amberly Melendez, representing Northwest University in Washington, earned a silver medal for the U.S. in the women’s 5,000 racewalk in 23:25.50. Mexico’s Valeria Ortuna captured gold in 23:05.08.

It marked the sixth straight competition in which the U.S. women secured a racewalk medal, although this was the first time in meet history the distance was only 5,000, after previously being contested at 10,000 or 20,000 meters.

The Americans achieved another silver medal in the men’s discus throw, with Cal sophomore Iffy Joyner producing a mark of 180-2 (54.92m). Clemson’s Roje Stona, representing Jamaica, captured the gold with a throw of 186-11 (56.97m).

Trinidad and Tobago’s Andwuelle Wright set a meet record in the men’s long jump with a leap of 27-0.75 (8.25m), not only improving on his own national record, but surpassing the 2006 meet standard of 26-4.25 (8.03m) held by Cuba’s Wilfredo Martinez.

In qualifying rounds, Americans Teahna Daniels of Texas and Twanisha Terry of USC won their respective 100-meter heats to advance to the final. Daniels led all qualifiers in 11.24, followed by Virginia’s Halle Hazzard competing for Grenada in 11.29, with Terry prevailing in 11.38.

In the men’s 100-meter qualifying, Purdue’s Waseem Williams, representing Jamaica, led all qualifiers in 10.15. Houston’s Mario Burke, competing for Barbados, clocked 10.19, with American Rodney Rowe of South Carolina State and Jamaica’s Raheem Chambers of Miami (Florida) both advancing in 10.36.

Americans Norman Grimes of Texas Tech and Quincy Hall of South Carolina won their respective heats in the men’s 400-meter hurdles. Grimes led all qualifiers in 51.79, with Hall clocking 52.55. Arkansas Pine-Bluff’s Malique Smith, representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, advanced in 51.82, with Florida’s Denzel Villaman of the Dominican Republic moving on in 52.83.

Barbados’ Rivaldo Leacock, Hall’s teammate at South Carolina, also qualified in 52.00, with UTEP’s Shakeem Hall-Smith, representing the Bahamas, advancing in 53.16.

In women’s 100-meter qualifying for the U-18 competition, Northeast FL junior Briana Williams clocked 11.53 seconds to represent Jamaica in the final.

Williams, the reigning World U-20 gold medalist in the 100 and 200, set World U-18, Jamaican U-20 and national high school records June 21 when she ran 10.94 in the 100 to place third at the Jamaican Senior Trials in Kingston.