GUYANA’S Avon Samuels will be heading to NCAA Division One track and field powerhouse St John’s University, following her stellar showing at Monroe College.

The South American U-20 400m silver medallist, in 2017, along with Claudrice McKoy and Onasha Rogers, accepted a scholarship to the New York-based Monroe College where she prominently featured on the National Junior College Athletics Association circuit with several top-of-the-podium performances for the institution.

However, this season, Samuels will get ready to take on some of best on the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division One has to offer after her move to St John’s University where Guyana’s Commonwealth Games 400m gold medallist Aliann Pompey will be her assistant coach.

Samuels was coached at the Running Brave Athletics Club by Julian Edmonds, who congratulated the athlete that he helped to fashion into one of the best in the Caribbean. He told Chronicle Sport yesterday, that he was more than happy with her upward mobility in the sport.

Edmonds reasoned that “the thing about Avon is that she was progressing last year and got injured. She came back home and we did some work and now she’s back to being herself. I mean, having a Division One College showing interest in you despite everything, that alone is an achievement and I wish her all the best.”

According to the highly respected coach, Samuels should be lucky to be at the same College where Pompey is employed as an assistant coach, adding, “It’s a plus for Guyana as well, because with Aliann there, she will have someone looking out for her interest.
“Aliann is going to keep an eye out for her, wanting success for her and even success for Guyana because if she does well, Guyana will do well also,” Edmonds said.