July 15, 2007
COLUMBIA, Mo. -
University of Missouri junior Shernelle Nicholls (St. Andrew's Parrish, Barbados) smashed her country's and school's discus throw records on Sunday in winning the Bronze medal at the inaugural North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Championships in San Salvador, El Salvador. With a toss of 167 feet, 9 inches (51.15m), Nicholls now owns the Barbadian National Records in the shot put, hammer and discus.
Nicholls finished third in the discus competition, ahead of fellow countrywoman, Keisha Walkes who currently attends UTEP. Walkes was the previous national-record holder with a mark of 163-11 (49.97m) from a meet held in El Paso in April. Olympian Stephanie Trafton of the USA won the Gold, marking 194-5 (59.27m).
Nicholls nearly broke Walkes' record earlier in the season at the Kansas Relays, coming within an inch with her previous personal best. Instead, Nicholls broke national records in the shot put (55-0) and hammer (190-11) that weekend. A few weeks later at the Big 12 Championships, Nicholls set a new school record in the shot, throwing 56-2¾ (17.14m), again extending her national record in finishing runner-up.
Moving from fourth all-time in Mizzou history in the disc, Nicholls broke Melanie Uher's 2005 school record by over a foot, extending her personal best in the event by four feet.
On Friday, Nicholls earned her first Bronze medal on the weekend, taking third in the shot with a throw of 51-10¾ (15.82m). Trinidad and Tobago's Cleopatra Borel-Brown took first.
Nicholls leaves Central America quickly for the Pan-America Games that has already begun in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. Nicholls will represent Barbados in the games in the women's shot put, which will be held July 27. ESPN Deportes will air coverage of several sports, including many track and field events in the next two weeks.
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