PITTSBURG, Kan.- The always-impressive track & field program at Pratt Community College saw one of its own claim a conference championship at the Region VI/KJCCC Indoor Championships this.
Marvin Jean-Francois, who posted a national-qualifying time of 8.03 seconds in the 60-meter hurdle preliminaries, placed first in the event's finals with a time of 8.17 seconds. Jean-Francois' time gives him a slot at the NJCAA Indoor Championships in Pittsburg on March 4-6.
Pratt's men's 4x400 relay team (Jean-Francois, Kashawn Baptiste, Jamaal Morris Jr., and Mark Emilien) also qualified for the national meet, placing fourth as a group with a time of 3:14.77.
Jamaal Morris Jr. was among the other individual high-placers in Pittsburg. Morris posted identical times in both the 60-meter dash prelims and subsequent final round, clocking in at 6.80 seconds. His time in the final round was good for a fifth place finish. Kashawn Baptiste did not post a qualifying time in the 60-meter dash preliminaries, but did so in the 200-meter dash. Baptiste eventually placed fifth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.69 seconds.
As it stands, Pratt will travel to Pittsburg with the following athletes to compete at the 2021 NJCAA Indoor National Championships:
- Kashawn Baptiste (200-meter dash, 4x400 relay)
- Mark Emilien (4x400 relay)
- Marvin Jean-Francois (60-meter hurdles, 4x400 relay)
- Zach McPhee (1000m, 3000m, Mile, 5000m)
- Jamaal Morris Jr. (4x400 relay)