Elliot heads for North Carolina

Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

Defending Girls Class One 100m hurdles champion Samantha Elliot will not be defending her crown at next March's Boys and Girls' Athletic Championship, as she has opted to take up a four-year track and field scholarship at NCAA Division II school, Johnson C. Smith University in North Carolina, USA.

Elliot, who is in upper sixth form at Immaculate High School has been outstanding for her school and Jamaica at the junior level, where she has distinguished herself. She has been sprint-hurdles champion three years in a row.

Success

In her two years in Class II, she has been successful in the 100 metres hurdles, and at the last Champs won the Class I event in 13.96 seconds.

She has also had major success at the junior level while representing Jamaica. Elliot is the present record holder of the Carifta Under-20 100 metres hurdles event, clocking a personal best of 13.42 seconds to win the event in the Cayman Islands, earlier this year. Elliot also represented the country at the World Youth Championships in 2009. In her pet event, the 100m hurdles, she clocked 13.54 seconds to finish seventh in the final.

She was also a member of Jamaica's team to the World Junior Championships in Canada this year, where she was a reserve in the 100 metres hurdles event. Elliot will be conditioned at her new school by former Kingston College track and field coach Lennox Graham.