Makeba Sets The Record Straight

Makeba Alcide missed out on a St Lucia National Record last month, despite compiling a personal-best 5543 points in the Heptathlon at the 84th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, thanks to an illegal wind during her opening event, the 100m Hurdles. She got a chance to set that right at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor track & Field Championships on the campus of University of Georgia at the Spec Towns Track in Athens.

Competing as a sophomore for the No. 8 University of Arkansas women's team, Makeba began relatively slowly, running 14.23 to finish seventh in the 100m Hurdles. But she got back on track with victory in the High Jump, her height of 1.79m matching her previous best mark, and then a new personal record of 12.09m to win Shot Put. Another personal-best performance in the 200m, third with a time of 25.08 seconds, on course for what would be her first SEC title.

On the second day of Heptathlon competition, Makeba opened with yet another PR, 5.65m, fourth in Long Jump. She threw 35.60m to end seventh in Javelin throw, and entering the final event of the day, led Kaylon Eppinger of Alabama by 84 points in the overall standings. Makeba turned in a fourth personal-best effort in the 800m, crossing second in a time of 2:17.25 and adding 861 points to her winning total of 5646, setting two records in the process.

Makeba erased her previous personal best Heptathlon mark and surpassed her prior National Record of 5153, which she compiled last year at the SEC Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee. Just as importantly, the 21-year-old St Josphe's Convent alumnus established a new Heptathlon benchmark for the Organisation of Eastern CAribbea States, OECS. The OECS standard had heretofore been 5178 points, posted by Grenada's Colleen Felix in 2009.

Speaking to her SEC title-winning performance, Makeba said "It was pretty big for me. It's a new national record. It probably put me in the standings to compete for my country. That's pretty special to me. It wasn't easy to get 5,600 points, but I went out there and did my best. I've worked really hard to get here. It was a good effort on my part and my coaches' part because they really work hard with me.

Makeba became the fifth Razorback ever to life the SEC Heptathlon crown, the first since 2009. Her point total, also a Spec Towns Track facility record, is the fourth-best performance in Arkansas history. Only two other Razorbacks, Gi-Gi Miller and DeeDee Brown, had previously occupied the top five all-time. This year, Makeba has also established National Records in the 100m Hurdles outdoors, and 60m Hurdles and Pentathlon during the indoor season.

Photo by Robert Black