The Tribune

THE Bahamas’ top junior javelin throwers Dior-Rae Scott and Taysha Stubbs will soon embark on a new journey at the collegiate level with University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. The dynamic duo officially announced their commitment to the Cornhuskers yesterday.

Both Stubbs and Scott are coming off remarkable performances at the 2024 CARIFTA Games and have turned in strong performances their entire junior careers leading up to this point.

Taysha Stubbs

Stubbs is an eleventh grader at Queen’s College and got her start with Blue Chip Athletics in September of 2021. The CARIFTA gold medallist was originally enthralled by softball until she was introduced to the javelin throw event by coaches Corrington Maycock and Laquell Harris.

Since then, the 16-year-old has become a household name with regards to the javelin throw event, leading up to her latest decision to commit to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) DI programme. A decision which involved numerous contributing factors.

“There were a lot of different factors that contributed to it. Firstly, the academics there is off the chain and then on the javelin side their programme is number one for both males and females. It is definitely a good thing. I am really excited to be able to have the opportunity to go and train with them and be surrounded by the best of the best,” she said.

Stubbs has certainly been on a tear in 2024 since making her transition to the under-20 girls’ division. She has competed in over eight events this season and has not won on only one occasion. Her most notable performances during the 2024 campaign have been at the 2024 CARIFTA Games, Penn Relays and recently the Fritz Grant Track and Field Invitational.

She emerged as a gold medallist in her CARIFTA debut with a winning and personal best toss of 50.94m. The 16-year-old followed up the performance with a victory at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she bested the competition with a heave of 47.17m.

She came close to topping her personal best throw this month at the Fritz Grant Track and Field Invitational, posting a mark of 50.55m. Her winning performances have placed in the top three of the under-18 world rankings for the javelin event and she has plans to go even further.

“I am so excited. I just have a lot more in store and a lot more that I want to bring out on the field. I am just excited for what is coming and what I am going to be able to do with coach Dustin at the University of Nebraska in a new environment with a new start,” the CARIFTA gold medallist said.

Scott and Stubbs are not the first set of Blue Chip throwers to commit to the University of Nebraska as reigning NCAA javelin champion Rhema Otabor is one of their top javelin throwers.

The QC Comet called Otabor an “inspiration” and is looking forward to making her own mark on the collegiate scene as well.

“Rhema has always been an inspiration for me especially when it comes to javelin. I do not wanna limit myself. I just wanna be able to go out there in my college career and be able to break records,” she said.

The NACAC under-18 bronze medallist was thankful to God, her mother, coaches Maycock and Harris as well as family and friends for their continued support on this journey.

Dior-Rae Scott

Scott is an eleventh grade student at St Augustine’s College (SAC). She joined the Blue Chip Athletics Club in May 2021 and has secured top podium spots and etched her name in record books ever since.

The 16-year-old is a javelin maestro on the field and offensive machine on the basketball court.

The versatile athlete is now set to join the Cornhuskers in fall 2025 and she gave insight on her decision making process.

“I decided to commit to the University of Nebraska because of my main focus which is academics. That is first because they showed me all that I needed to know for my major and after that they have a really great programme for javelin. I know that I will be able to excel if I am going to that school,” Scott said.

Her junior career has been nothing short of phenomenal. Just this year, Scott left St George’s, Grenada as the CARIFTA record holder in the under-17 girls’ javelin throw event.

She pulled off an impressive heave of 52.53m to replace Kamera Strachan’s former record of 46.07m. A few months prior, she took down Strachan’s BAISS record of 42.00m with her massive throw of 49.83m.

The mark was listed as the farthest throw by any female in the Caribbean for the javelin 500g.

The multiple time CARIFTA medallist is grateful for all she has achieved in such a short time and is looking forward to progressing further in Lincoln, Nebraska.

“I am really excited to take this next step. I am grateful and I thank God for allowing me to make it this far. I just want to continue working hard so that when I make it to college next year after grade 12 I will just continue excelling and doing the best I can,” she said.

The SAC student thanked her parents, brother, coach Maycock and Harris and the coach at the University of Nebraska for all of their support.

Both young ladies are looking forward to attending university together and have the same goal in mind; to push each other to new heights.