Tyra-Gittens-of-Texas_A_&_M
Tyra Gittens of Texas A&M after winning an award

World Athletics and USTFCCCA have made special mention of Trinidad and Tobago’s national Tyra Gittens performance at the Southeastern Conference Championships.

Gittens scored 23 points at the conference meet, claiming the heptathlon title, finishing runner-up in the open high jump and fourth in the long open jump. She earned the Commissioner’s trophy as the highest point scorer in the meet.

It is the third consecutive conference meet she finished as top point scorer, dating back to the 2020 SEC Indoor Championships.

She was named United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Athlete of the Week.

Gittens, who is the collegiate record holder in the pentathlon, became the third-best performer in collegiate history in the heptathlon with 6,418 points. She ran the 100m hurdles in 13.47 (w/3.0), cleared 1.95m in the high jump.

On day two, she leapt 6.96m in the long jump, the fourth-best performer in collegiate history, regardless if it happened in the open or within the confines of the multi. She finished with an SEC meet record total of 6,418 points.

Gittens cleared 1.89m to finish second in the open high jump and leapt out to 6.56m to place fourth in the long jump open.

USTFCCCA commended her effort.

“What can’t Tyra Gittens do? When you mix what Gittens did in the high jump and long jump, no woman in history had done that before in a heptathlon. Read that again – history, like world history.”

World Athletics noted:
“The heptathlon at the SEC Championships also saw some superb jumps results, with Tyra Gittens recording 6-4.75 (1.95m) in the high jump and 22-10 (6.96m) in the long jump for the highest scoring jumps combination in women’s combined events history.”

Gittens was winning her third National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Gittens earned an indoor honour back on February 2.

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Anthony Foster is a renowned Jamaican sports journalist, honored twice as the Jamaica sports journalist of the year (in 2004 and 2005). His journalistic achievements are globally recognized. Notably, he authored an award-winning article on Usain Bolt, the iconic 6-time Olympic champion, 11-time World champion, and record holder for the sprint double. This significant piece was published in the Jamaica Gleaner in 2004. Anthony's extensive coverage includes prestigious events such as the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016. He has also provided coverage for seven (7) World Athletics Championships held between 2007 and 2022, alongside various other international sporting events. Noteworthy mentions comprise his coverage of the 2007 World Cup of cricket and his cherished experience reporting on the 2004 clash between his favorite football team, Argentina, and the USA.