Tovea Jenkins, a 2017 Johnson C. Smith University graduate, is heading to the Tokyo Olympics! According to her alma mater, the Kingston, Jamaica native stood out in the 400-meter race and won her ticket to the 2021 games by going to the 2021 Olympic Games.
The 2017 NCAA Division II outdoor champion on the 4 x 400 meters relay team, ran a personal best of 50.68 as she placed fifth at the Jamaica National Championship meet on Sunday, June 27, 2021, securing her spot on the Jamaican Olympic Team.
The five-time All-American will be a part of the 4 x 400-meter relay team pool.
Jenkins is the fifth track and field Olympian from JCSU.
According to the Jamaica Gleaner, she was among the top performers in the relay for 2021. Read below to see the performance of fellow athletes.
As expected sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce heads a strong 62-member team that was named by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) to represent the country at the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Elaine Thompson-Herah will also be looking to successfully defend her 100m and 200m titles in Tokyo, but there will be no such opportunity for 2016 Rio Olympics 110m hurdles champion, Omar McLeod, who unsurprisingly, not named to the team, after his shocking last place finish at the National Senior Championships – Jamaica’s Olympic Trials.
McLeod subsequently complained of cramps and there were calls from some fans for the second fastest man in the event this season to be included, in spite of his performance at the Trials.
New short sprint sensation, Shericka Jackson, who won a 400m bronze in Rio de Janeiro, will compete in the 100m and 200m in Tokyo, with World Championships long jump gold medallist Tajay Gayle, silver medal winners Fedrick Dacres (Discus), Shanieka Ricketts (Triple Jump) and Danniel Thomas-Dodd among the other standouts in the team.
Yohan Blake will be returning to the Olympics stage for the third time, while youngsters such as Oblique Seville, Britany Anderson, Candice McLeod and Briana Williams, will be making their first appearance at the showpiece event.
Interestingly, the JAAA’s list does not include Rasheed Broadbell, who missed the championships due to injury, but had according to his coach Stephen Francis, submitted a medical exemption, given his top three ranking at the time in the 110m hurdles.
