BY RAYMOND GRAHAM, Star Writer

( L - R ) Natasha Ruddock, Andrea Sutherland - file photos

A host of Jamaicans will be on show today and tomorrow as the NJCAA Track and Field Indoor Championships will be staged in Charlestown at the University of Eastern Illinois.

The two-day Junior College Championships will most likely be dominated by Jamaican athletes as they have some of the top marks going into the meet.

All eyes will be on former St. Jago High athlete Natasha Ruddock in the 60 metres hurdles event. Ruddock, who dominated sprint hurdles in Jamaica in her six years at high school, has continued her impressive form for Essex County College.

She is the leader in this event with a fast 8.13 seconds done at the New Balance Meet in New York a few weeks ago. This time by Ruddock would have beaten the NJCAA record of 8.26 seconds set by her former teammate, Melaine Walker, who recorded this time in 2004 while competing for Essex County College. Ruddock is also ranked number three in the 60 metres dash with a time of 7.62 seconds.

Devastating form

Ruddock has been in devastating form all season as she has beaten most of the top athletes who will be competing at next week NCAA Indoor Championships.

Former Edwin Allen athlete Andrea Sutherland, now attending Barton County College, has the fastest times in the 600 metres and the second best in the 800 metres events. In the 600 metres her time is 1:34.58, while in the 800 metres her time is 2:20.40. Another former Edwin Allen athlete, Jodian Richards, who now competes for New Mexico Junior College is ranked number two in the 600 metres with 1:35.27 and sixth in the 800 metres with 2:21.55. Former Vere Technical athlete Trudyann Clarke, who will compete for New Mexico Junior College, is number three with 1:35.90.

Another former St. Jago High athlete, Sashakaye Matthias, is ranked number one in both the long and triple jumps. Now competing for Essex County College, Matthias has gone 6.04 metres in the long jump and 12.61 metres in the triple jump.

Former Vere Technical athlete Shantal Thompson, who now attends New Mexico Junior College, is ranked fifth in both the long (5.61m) and triple (11.65m) jumps and third in the high jump with 1.68 metres. Suelyn Pilliner of Essex County College is number four in the high jump with 1.65 metres.

Stephanie Simpson, who competed for Manchester High a few season ago and who now plies her trade for South Plains Junior College, is ranked number two in the 400 metres with a time of 55.57 seconds.

Best ranked male

Former St. Jago High athlete, Taneisha Baker, now competing for Southern Mississippi Community College is ranked number five in the 200 metres with 25.05.

Among the males, the best ranked Jamaican going into the Championships is former Holmwood Technical athlete Stafford McFarlane as he is number four in the 1000 metres with a time of 1:54.54. Now competing for Essex County College, he is ranked number six in the 800 metres with 1:54.54.

Former St. Jago athletes Dwight Mullings and Kemar Ellis, who now both attend Essex County College, are also ranked highly in their events. Mullings (6.81) seconds over the 60 metres and 47.47 seconds in the 400 metres is ranked fifth and fourth respectively. Ellis (1:17.89) is ranked number five in the 600 metres.