The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DAYTONA Beach, Florida - Ashley Oembler threw herself into the College of the Bahamas record books and Avery Thompson got a double dose of accomplishment as they led the Caribs’ seven-member team at the Embry-Riddle Spike Classic over the weekend.

Head coach Bradley Cooper said based on the performances turned in, he was quite pleased with the team.

“We had a lot of personal and seasonal bests, so I couldn’t ask for much more from the kids,” he said. “They were finishing in the top eight in most of the events that they participated.

“So I think it shows that we are right on par to where we need to be and looking at the NCAA Division II and NAIA, I think we are proving to our administrators that we belong in any one of those programmes.”

The Caribs will be leaving again for Miami on Thursday where they will participate at the University of Miami.

Team manager Sean Bastian said the track team has been performing right where they want them to be and that speaks volumes as they continue to build their athletic programme.?

“This weekend was one of our best weekends for the season,” said Bastian, who has taken the team on their third international trip so far. “We have one this Saturday and the Penn Relays April 24-25, so we are looking very good.?

“We did. We had some athletes who did extremely well.  Two weeks ago, we were in Jamaica to compete and I think that really helped to motivate our athletes and we’ve seen how they responded this weekend.”?

Oembler record-setting performance?

The former CARIFTA standout, now in her senior year, won the women’s discus throw with a toss of 44.28 metres or 145-feet, 3-inches to erase a COB record of 44.20m (145-0) that was previously held by Julianna Duncanson in 2013. Her series of throws were 37.91m-124-4, foul, 44.38m-145-7, foul, 41.94m-137-7 and foul.

Oembler beat out teammates Sheriya Ferguson, who got third with 36.67m-120-3 (on her first throw with 34.43m-112-11, 33.62m-110-3, foul, 35.72m-117-2 and foul rounding out her performance) and Knastachia Cooper, who came in fourth with 35.84m-117-7 on fourth attempt (the others in her series were foul, 33.51m-109-11, 33.02m-108-4, 34.14m-112-0 and foul).

The trio also competed in the shot put where Oembler topped the list with 11th place overall with 10.71m35-13/4, followed by Cooper in 12th with 10.56m-34-73/4 and Ferguson in 13th with 10.12m-33-21/2.

“It was pretty good. I expected more competition, but I mainly wanted to focus on my technique because it was a new area that we’re throwing in,” Oembler said. “I wanted to work on my follow through, which was giving me a lot of problems.

“But I got it done and it turned out to be a personal best. I’m happy with my personal best because it’s a new COB record. I didn’t feel any power behind it, so I know next meet if I can get it down-packed, I can throw even further.”

Oembler, 20, said she used the shot put the night before to get her mentally prepared for the discus, which is her specialty.

Ferguson, a 19-year-old freshman, said the meet was pretty good for her.

“It started off pretty good and finished off strong,” she said. “I hit my PR that I set out at the beginning of the season and so I can say I was consistent with my throws. I just have to work on my shot put because there is plenty room for improvement.”

Avery throws personal best

Avery Thompson, 21, had the best showing for the men when he threw the javelin 50.08m (164-3) for third place with his personal best on his fifth attempt. (His series included a foul, 45.85m-150-5, foul and 50.02m-164-1). Thompson also qualified third in the preliminaries of the 110m hurdles in a PR of 14.65 sec. In the final, he was second in 15.05 secs.

“My biggest throw I scratched. I just have to learn how to plant my feet in the ground so I can get the proper blocking when I throw,” said Thompson about what he needs to work on.

“As for the hurdles, I just have to stay focused and be more consistent, just as I do in the javelin and I know I can be very competitive at this level.”

Cressy Dussard, 20, ran 21.61 seconds for third in the 200m with Dennis Williams coming in fifth in the 21.73. 

Dussard also got ninth in the 100m in 11.29. Bahamian elite athlete Jamaal Moss got a slight muscle pull midway through the race and had to settle for 12th overall in 14.00m.

“The meet was very exciting, the track was fast and the competitors were good,” Dussard said. “I like the weather where we competed in the sun and they didn’t keep us long. I was glad to finally get in a 100m. I am looking forward to running even faster and trying to stay healthy for the rest of the year.”

Williams added a fifth place overall to his ledger when he clocked 47.78 in the 400m timed final. Bahamian elite Andretti Bain posted the same time of 46.89 but was edged out for first place by Gabor Pasztor of Athletic Cub Miami in a photo finish in their heat.

The other member of the COB team was Coty Willis, who ran 11.19 secs for 36th overall in the 100m and 23.11 secs in the 200m. He wasn’t able to advance to the next round in either event. 

Jamial Rolle, another elite sprinter, contested the preliminaries of the 200m, turning in the second best time of 21.56 secs, while Williams had the 11th best of 22.04, just ahead of Moss’ 22.05 for 12th. Rolle nor Moss competed in the next round.