Akelia Smith of the University of Texas mined  gold  last  night  on  day  two  action  of  the  the NC-Double a’ Outdoor Athletic Championship at Hayward field in Oregon. 

Smith  topped  the  field  in the Women’s long jump event, with  a  best  effort  of  6.79  metres  to sucessfully defend her NCAA title.

Meanwhile World Junior 200 meters champion Brianna Lyston , Nickiesha Pryce and Gabrielle Matthews all booked a place in the final of their respective events 

Former Hydel star Lyston, representing Louisiana State University clocked 10.99 seconds to win heat two and book a spot in the final of the women’s 100 meters. 

However there was no such luck for compatriot Shenese Walker of Florida State University who finished fifth in heat three in 11.23 seconds and failed to make progress. 

Pryce representing the University of Arkansas stormed to victory in a respectable 49.87 seconds to win heat two of the women’s 400 metres, and enters the final as the second fastest in the field. 

The former Petersfield stand-out Shaquena Foote of San Diego State University was not so lucky, as she finished down the track in 7th in 52.10 seconds, while Oneifa Mcanuff from University of Kentucky  did  not  face  the  starter.

Former Queens school sprinter Gabrielle Matthews booked her ticket to the final of the women’s 400 meters hurdles after grabbing the second qualification spot in heat two , crossing the line in 56.19 seconds. 

Meanwhile, in the qualifiers of the women’s 100 metre hurdles, Oneika Wilson of Clemson University crashed out of the event, despite finishing third in heat three in 12.86 seconds, and Janela Spencer of Ohio State University suffered a similar fate as she was 7th in heat one in a personal best of 12.99 seconds.