Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is set to play host to the 2016 Olympic games, which will see more than 11,000 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees compete in 28 different sports, proudly boasting their countries respective colors, and a chance to be crowned best in the world.
Many of those athletes began their careers at the NCAA and NJCAA levels, including 10 former South Plains College track and field athletes, who will be representing their home countries and chasing the illustrious gold medal.
Five of those athletes will be representing the country of Trinidad & Tobago, including men's quarter-milers Jereem Richards and Renny Quow, women's hurdler Janeli Bellille and women's quarter-milers Dominique Williams and Sparkle McKnight.
Richards won the 2015 Outdoor National Junior College Championship in the 400-meters with a time of 46.23, and claimed the 2015 NJCAA Indoor title in the 400 with a time of 46.70. Bellille earned NJCAA runner-up honors after finishing second in the 55-meter hurdles at the 2011 NJCAA Indoor Championships. She set an NJCAA and school record with her time of 55.80 in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2011 Texas Tech Invitational, and tied the 100-meter school record with a time of 13.57 at the UTEP Springtime Invitational.
McKnight was a three-time NJCAA champion for South Plains, and went on to compete for Arkansas University where she was named a two-time Indoor All-American and SEC champion in the 4x400. She also was named a NCAA champion in the Outdoor 4x400, and a two-time Outdoor All-American.
The country of Jamaica will also be represented, as Natoya Goule, a ten-time NJCAA gold medalist will be looking to add to her trophy case and bring back the hardware for her home country. Goule went on to run for LSU and Clemson, where she won three NCAA 800-meter titles. While representing LSU in 2013, Goule went on to sweep the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor titles in the 800, and was named a first-team All-American with the Tigers' 4x400 relay team during both seasons.
Also representing South Plains College and country of Jamaica will be distance runner Kemoy Campbell and Chrisann Gordon, who will compete in the 1,600-meter relay. Shavez Hart, a former Texan' sprinter will compete for the Bahamas, while 400-meter specialist Bralon Taplin will compete for Grenada.
South Plains' 10 Olympic athletes ties for 12th most amongst all college and universities across the country. A complete list of former NJCAA athletes competing in Rio can be found at the following link:
http://www.njcaa.org/genrel/2016-17/releases/-8-4-16-_2016_Olympics_Preview
South Plains' athletes events:
Jereem Richards, Renny Quow — 4x400 meter relay
Janeli Bellille — 400 meter hurdles
Dominique Williams, Sparkle McKnight — 400 meter hurdles
Natoya Goule — 800 meters
Kemoy Campbell, Chrisann Gordon — 4x400 meter relay
Shavez Hart — 200 meters, 100 meters
Bralon Taplin — 400 meters
2016 Rio Olympics Track and Field Schedule:
Men's Discus Throw Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 12 8:30 a.m. EDT
Women's Heptathlon 100m Hurdles
Aug. 12 8:35 a.m. EDT
Women's Shot Put Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 12 9:05 a.m. EDT
Men's 800m Round 1
Aug. 12 9:10 a.m. EDT
Women's Heptathlon High Jump
Aug. 12 9:50 a.m. EDT
Women's 10,000m Final
Aug. 12 10:10 a.m. EDT
Women's 100m Preliminary Round
Aug. 12 10:55 a.m. EDT
Women's 10,000m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 12 11:20 a.m. EDT
Men's 20km Race Walk
Aug. 12 1:30 p.m. EDT
Men's 20km Race Walk Victory Ceremony
Aug. 12 7:20 p.m. EDT
Women's 1500m Round 1
Aug. 12 7:30 p.m. EDT
Women's Heptathlon Shot Put
Aug. 12 7:35 p.m. EDT
Women's Hammer Throw Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 12 7:40 p.m. EDT
Men's 400m Round 1
Aug. 12 8:05 p.m. EDT
Men's Long Jump Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 12 8:20 p.m. EDT
Women's Shot Put Final
Aug. 12 9:00 p.m. EDT
Women's Heptathlon 200m
Aug. 12 9:05 p.m. EDT
Women's 100m Round 1
Aug. 12 9:40 p.m. EDT
Men's 100m Preliminary Round
Aug. 13 8:30 a.m. EDT
Women's Triple Jump Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 13 8:40 a.m. EDT
Women's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1
Aug. 13 9:05 a.m. EDT
Men's Discus Throw Final
Aug. 13 9:50 a.m. EDT
Women's 400m Round 1
Aug. 13 10:00 a.m. EDT
Women's Heptathlon Long Jump
Aug. 13 10:45 a.m. EDT
Men's 100m Round 1
Aug. 13 11:00 a.m. EDT
Men's Discus Throw Victory Ceremony
Aug. 13 11:41 a.m. EDT
Women's Heptathlon Javelin Throw
Aug. 13 7:00 p.m. EDT
Women's Shot Put Victory Ceremony
Aug. 13 7:10 p.m. EDT
Men's Pole Vault Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 13 7:20 p.m. EDT
Men's 400m Semifinals
Aug. 13 7:30 p.m. EDT
Men's Long Jump Final
Aug. 13 7:50 p.m. EDT
Women's 100m Semifinals
Aug. 13 8:00 p.m. EDT
Men's 10,000m Final
Aug. 13 8:25 p.m. EDT
Men's 800m Semifinals
Aug. 13 9:05 p.m. EDT
Women's 100m Final
Aug. 13 9:35 p.m. EDT
Men's 10,000m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 13 9:42 p.m. EDT
Women's Heptathlon 800m
Aug. 13 9:53 p.m. EDT
Women's Marathon
Aug. 14 8:30 a.m. EDT
Women's Marathon Victory Ceremony
Aug. 14 11:40 a.m. EDT
Men's Long Jump Victory Ceremony
Aug. 14 7:20 p.m. EDT
Men's High Jump Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 14 7:30 p.m. EDT
Women's 400m Semifinals
Aug. 14 7:35 p.m. EDT
Women's Triple Jump Final
Aug. 14 7:55 p.m. EDT
Men's 100m Semifinals
Aug. 14 8:00 p.m. EDT
Women's 100m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 14 8:17 p.m. EDT
Women's 1500m Semifinals
Aug. 14 8:30 p.m. EDT
Men's 400m Final
Aug. 14 9:00 p.m. EDT
Women's Heptathlon Victory Ceremony
Aug. 14 9:15 p.m. EDT
Men's 100m Final
Aug. 14 9:25 p.m. EDT
Men's Triple Jump Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 15 8:30 a.m. EDT
Women's 200m Round 1
Aug. 15 8:35 a.m. EDT
Men's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1
Aug. 15 9:25 a.m. EDT
Women's Hammer Throw Final
Aug. 15 9:40 a.m. EDT
Women's 3000m Steeplechase Final
Aug. 15 10:15 a.m. EDT
Men's 400m Hurdles Round 1
Aug. 15 10:30 a.m. EDT
Women's 3000m Steeplechase Mdl Ceremony
Aug. 15 11:05 a.m. EDT
Men's 400m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 15 7:15 p.m. EDT
Women's Triple Jump Victory Ceremony
Aug. 15 7:20 p.m. EDT
Women's Discus Throw Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 15 7:30 p.m. EDT
Men's Pole Vault Final
Aug. 15 7:35 p.m. EDT
Men's 110m Hurdles Round 1
Aug. 15 7:40 p.m. EDT
Men's 100m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 15 8:15 p.m. EDT
Women's 400m Hurdles Round 1
Aug. 15 8:30 p.m. EDT
Men's 800m Final
Aug. 15 9:25 p.m. EDT
Women's Hammer Throw Victory Ceremony
Aug. 15 9:35 p.m. EDT
Women's 400m Final
Aug. 15 9:45 p.m. EDT
Women's 5000m Round 1
Aug. 16 8:30 a.m. EDT
Women's Pole Vault Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 16 8:45 a.m. EDT
Men's Triple Jump Final
Aug. 16 8:50 a.m. EDT
Men's 1500m Round 1
Aug. 16 9:30 a.m. EDT
Women's 100m Hurdles Round 1
Aug. 16 10:05 a.m. EDT
Women's Discus Throw Final
Aug. 16 10:20 a.m. EDT
Men's 200m Round 1
Aug. 16 10:50 a.m. EDT
Men's Triple Jump Victory Ceremony
Aug. 16 11:32 a.m. EDT
Men's 800m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 16 7:15 p.m. EDT
Women's 400m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 16 7:20 p.m. EDT
Men's High Jump Final
Aug. 16 7:30 p.m. EDT
Women's Javelin Throw Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 16 7:35 p.m. EDT
Men's 110m Hurdles Semifinals
Aug. 16 7:40 p.m. EDT
Men's Pole Vault Victory Ceremony
Aug. 16 8:00 p.m. EDT
Women's Long Jump Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 16 8:05 p.m. EDT
Women's 400m Hurdles Semifinals
Aug. 16 8:10 p.m. EDT
Men's 400m Hurdles Semifinals
Aug. 16 8:35 p.m. EDT
Women's 200m Semifinals
Aug. 16 9:00 p.m. EDT
Women's 1500m Final
Aug. 16 9:30 p.m. EDT
Women's Discus Throw Victory Ceremony
Aug. 16 9:35 p.m. EDT
Men's 110m Hurdles Final
Aug. 16 9:45 p.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon 100m
Aug. 17 8:30 a.m. EDT
Men's Hammer Throw Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 17 8:40 a.m. EDT
Men's 5000m Round 1
Aug. 17 9:05 a.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon Long Jump
Aug. 17 9:35 a.m. EDT
Women's 800m Round 1
Aug. 17 9:55 a.m. EDT
Men's 3000m Steeplechase Final
Aug. 17 10:50 a.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon Shot Put
Aug. 17 11:15 a.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon High Jump
Aug. 17 4:45 p.m. EDT
Men's High Jump Victory Ceremony
Aug. 17 7:20 p.m. EDT
Men's Javelin Throw Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 17 7:30 p.m. EDT
Women's 100m Hurdles Semifinals
Aug. 17 7:45 p.m. EDT
Women's 1500m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 17 8:05 p.m. EDT
Women's Long Jump Final
Aug. 17 8:15 p.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon 400m
Aug. 17 8:20 p.m. EDT
Men's 200m Semifinals
Aug. 17 9:00 p.m. EDT
Women's 200m Final
Aug. 17 9:30 p.m. EDT
Men's 110m Hurdles Victory Ceremony
Aug. 17 9:42 p.m. EDT
Women's 100m Hurdles Final
Aug. 17 9:55 p.m. EDT
Men's 3000m Steeplechase Victory Cere…
Aug. 17 10:00 p.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon 110m Hurdles
Aug. 18 8:30 a.m. EDT
Men's Shot Put Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 18 8:55 a.m. EDT
Women's High Jump Qualifying Rounds
Aug. 18 9:00 a.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon Discus Throw
Aug. 18 9:25 a.m. EDT
Women's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1
Aug. 18 10:20 a.m. EDT
Men's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1
Aug. 18 10:40 a.m. EDT
Men's 400m Hurdles Final
Aug. 18 11:00 a.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon Pole Vault
Aug. 18 12:25 p.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon Javelin Throw
Aug. 18 5:35 p.m. EDT
Women's Long Jump Victory Ceremony
Aug. 18 6:20 p.m. EDT
Women's 100m Hurdles Victory Ceremony
Aug. 18 6:25 p.m. EDT
Women's 200m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 18 7:20 p.m. EDT
Men's Shot Put Final
Aug. 18 7:30 p.m. EDT
Men's 1500m Semifinals
Aug. 18 7:45 p.m. EDT
Men's 400m Hurdles Victory Ceremony
Aug. 18 8:01 p.m. EDT
Women's Javelin Throw Final
Aug. 18 8:10 p.m. EDT
Women's 800m Semifinals
Aug. 18 8:15 p.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon 1500m
Aug. 18 8:45 p.m. EDT
Women's 400m Hurdles Final
Aug. 18 9:15 p.m. EDT
Men's Shot Put Victory Ceremony
Aug. 18 9:20 p.m. EDT
Men's 200m Final
Aug. 18 9:30 p.m. EDT
Men's 50km Race Walk
Aug. 19 7:00 a.m. EDT
Women's 20km Race Walk
Aug. 19 1:30 p.m. EDT
Men's 50km Race Walk Victory Ceremony
Aug. 19 7:10 p.m. EDT
Women's 20km Race Walk Victory Ceremony
Aug. 19 7:15 p.m. EDT
Men's 200m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 19 7:20 p.m. EDT
Women's Pole Vault Final
Aug. 19 7:30 p.m. EDT
Women's 4 x 400m Relay Round 1
Aug. 19 7:40 p.m. EDT
Men's Decathlon Victory Ceremony
Aug. 19 7:56 p.m. EDT
Men's Hammer Throw Final
Aug. 19 8:05 p.m. EDT
Men's 4 x 400m Relay Round 1
Aug. 19 8:10 p.m. EDT
Women's Javelin Throw Victory Ceremony
Aug. 19 8:25 p.m. EDT
Women's 5000m Final
Aug. 19 8:40 p.m. EDT
Women's 4 x 100m Relay Final
Aug. 19 9:15 p.m. EDT
Women's 400m Hurdles Victory Ceremony
Aug. 19 9:25 p.m. EDT
Men's 4 x 100m Relay Final
Aug. 19 9:35 p.m. EDT
Women's 5000m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 19 9:40 p.m. EDT
Men's Hammer Throw Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 7:10 p.m. EDT
Women's Pole Vault Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 7:15 p.m. EDT
Women's 4 x 100m Relay Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 7:20 p.m. EDT
Women's High Jump Final
Aug. 20 7:30 p.m. EDT
Men's 4 x 100m Relay Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 7:45 p.m. EDT
Men's Javelin Throw Final
Aug. 20 7:55 p.m. EDT
Men's 1500m Final
Aug. 20 8:00 p.m. EDT
Women's 800m Final
Aug. 20 8:15 p.m. EDT
Men's 5000m Final
Aug. 20 8:30 p.m. EDT
Women's 800m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 8:50 p.m. EDT
Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final
Aug. 20 9:00 p.m. EDT
Men's 1500m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 9:15 p.m. EDT
Men's 5000m Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 9:25 p.m. EDT
Men's 4 x 400m Relay Final
Aug. 20 9:35 p.m. EDT
Men's Javelin Throw Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 9:40 p.m. EDT
Women's High Jump Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 9:45 p.m. EDT
Women's 4 x 400m Relay Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 9:50 p.m. EDT
Men's 4 x 400m Relay Victory Ceremony
Aug. 20 9:55 p.m. EDT
Men's Marathon
Aug. 21 8:30 a.m. EDT
Men's Marathon Victory Ceremony
Aug. 21 8:00 p.m. EDT