The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BRENDEN Vanderpool, indoor pole vault national record holder, and Grand Bahama native Zion Campbell excelled in the past week to be named Athletes of the Week.

Vanderpool was selected as the Southern Conference Men’s Field Athlete of the Week for his performances between February 7 to February 13.

Meanwhile, Campbell was in top form over the weekend to be awarded the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) National Athlete of the Week and the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Athlete of the Week.

TRACK

Campbell, representing Iowa Central Community College, turned on the jets at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region ll Indoor Championships over the weekend in Storm Lake, Iowa.

The Grand Bahama native qualified for the men’s 60 metres finals with a time of 6.73 seconds. He trailed Indian Hills’ Traunard Folson who clocked a swift 6.70 seconds to cruise into the finals.

Tyreke Fortney, of Iowa Western Community College, came in third with a time of 6.80 seconds.

Despite placing second in the prelims, the Pan American U20 champion kicked into another gear in the finals.

He ran a personal best time of 6.60 seconds for not only a first place finish but a meet, facility and Iowa Central record.

The performance landed him in a two-way tie with Andre Morrison for the top time of the 2024 NJCAA Men’s 60m rankings.

The 19-year-old also placed second in the 200m finals, notching 21.80 seconds. Additionally, in the men’s 4x400m relay the team of Campbell, Bongumusa Nkosi, Seon Booker and Trevon Prince earned the second position in the event.

He is only fifth Iowa Central male athlete to be named the National Athlete of the Week for the indoor season.

FIELD

Vanderpool set another indoor national record in the pole vault at the Samford Open at the Birmingham Metro CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Samford University freshman won the men’s pole vault with a height of 5.45m which was a personal best. He is ranked 18th in the NCAA and the latest performance made him the number one freshman in the event.

The pole vault national record holder also qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Nationals scheduled to take place in March. He will be in action again at the Southern Conference Championship February 24-25 in Lexington, Virginia.