FLORIDA, USA (CMC) – Florida State University (FSU) has recruited a number of top Jamaican high school athletes in a bid to bolster their performance at the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Championships.Among the recruits are sprinter Shauna Helps, hurdler Peta Gaye Williams and high jumper Safia Morgan.
Gaye Williams broke the Class One 100 metres hurdles record at the Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships this year, Morgan won the Under-20 girls high jump at this year’s Carifta Games and Helps will forego her final year of high school to take up a full scholarship at the Tallahassee-based institution.
“It’s actually a very comforting feeling, not just because of the freshmen coming in. You have some seniors and juniors who are also from Jamaica,” FSU’s website quoted Helps as saying.
“I know them from high school in Jamaica, we’ve been through numerous Champs and numerous national teams. It’s great that I come here and know that they have my back and also the freshmen have my back. It’s great all round.”
Other Jamaican athletes recruited by FSU are jumper Keneil Grant, thrower Kellion Knibb and sprinters Edward Clarke, Raheem Robinson and Chad Walker.
FSU is now expected to put in a stronger performance at the NCAA Championships in an effort to improve on their sixth-place finish last season.