The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Move over Leevan 'Superman' Sands. Young sister Bria Sands is creating a niche of her own in the triple jump.

At the Blackwell Stadium in Gulf Shores, Alabama, the Life University sophomore won the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Outdoor Championship in the women's triple jump with a leap of 12.31 metres or 40-feet, 4 3/4-inches, just off her personal best of 12.32m.

"It was a relief because I came into the competition really nervous and I didn't know what the outcome would be at the end of my season with this being my last meet," Sands told The Tribune.

"I wanted to go hard, but I also wanted to remain injury free and come out mentally strong. The competition was good. I had a rough start. I wasn't leading distance wise, but I jumped very well to pull it off."

While Leevan Sands was getting ready to compete in a meet in Atlanta, Bria Sands got some extra incentive on the sidelines as her parents - Elaine and Leevan Sands Sr - surprised her by showing up to watch her in her double duties as she also contested the long jump where she got fourth with a leap of 5.64m (18-6).

"I was so overjoyed because I didn't know that they were going to make it," Sands lamented.

"When I was getting ready to jump, my dad came over and pulled my hair. When I saw him and my mom, I just knew that I had to go hard."

And she certainly didn't disappoint her parents as they made the trek to Alabama.

"We were extremely proud to witness Bria's mature performance in which she did under tremendous pressure during her final minutes in the competition," said her proud mother, Elaine. "We give God the honour and the praise for her accomplishment."

Sands was also the champion of the 37th Annual Women's Indoor Track and Field National Championships in the triple jump with a leap of 11.93m (39-1 ¾).

Bria Sands was also 10th in the long jump with 5.54m (18-2 ¼).

The championships were held from March 2-4 in Johnson City, Tennessee.

"Indoors for me was a little nerve wrecking for me because I felt that my phrases were not what I wanted," she reflected. "My coach told me they were okay, but they were not coming together like I wanted.

"I didn't get a PR (my personal best is 11.91), but I got a good distance, which allowed me to get the gold. It was the same thing outdoors. I felt I could have done better, but it was good to come out with both of the titles."

Nyles Stuart coaches the 19-year-old biology major. He is a former Bahamian triple/long jumper and brother of women's national long jump record holder Bianca 'BB' Stuart and the head coach of the track team at Life University, replacing Cathy Faust.

"It's a privilege for me because we understand each other because we come from the same place and he knows me always my whole life," Sands said.

"So he knows how to communicate with my family and so when there's something that I'm not doing right, he's been there to make the necessary corrections."

Now that her season is over, Sands is looking forward to coming home to compete in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations' National Open Track and Field Championships.

If she doesn't make it for Grand Bahama for the June 23-24 championships, Sands said she would just take the time to recuperate from her season and prepare for her junior year at Life University and her quest to repeat as both the indoor and outdoor champion.