KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State senior Felisha Johnson and junior Greggmar Swift will be competing at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia, this week. Johnson was invited to join the 16 members of the United States track & field team and will compete in the shot put while Swift will be representing his native Barbados in the 110 meter hurdle competition for the second time.
This is the first time in 10 years that the United States will be sending a team to the World University Games. Indiana State throws coach Erin Gilreath was scheduled to compete in the 2003 World University Games before the United States pulled out due to the SARS scare and is excited that Johnson will have the opportunity to compete on the world stage.
“She wants to continue to compete and this is a great way for her to begin her career in the sport,” Gilreath said. “We found out just before we left for the National Championship that she was going to be invited to compete for the United States and received official confirmation earlier this week.”
The XXVII Summer Universiade is underway in Kazan, Russia, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, through July 17. The Universiade, also known as the World University Games, is organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Swift is the third member of the Indiana State men's track & field family to compete at the World University Games while Johnson is the first member of the Sycamore women's track & field team to compete at the WUG. The two former Sycamores who have competed in the World University Games are Frankie Young, who placed 10th in the long jump at the 1999 Games in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and Aubrey Herring, who competed in the 110 meter hurdles at the 2001 Games in Beijing, China.
Johnson will be competing Wednesday at 1 a.m. ET (10 a.m. Russian Standard Time). Swift will see action on Thursday as all three rounds of the 110 meter hurdles will be contested. The first round will start at 9:10 a.m. ET (6:10 p.m. RST) followed by the semifinals. The finals will run at 1:20 p.m. (10:20 p.m. RST).
Swift ran his personal best of 13.48 seconds in placing second at the Barbados National Championship in June and also has the opportunity to compete for Barbados at the World Championships in Moscow during August.
“He certainly has reached the 'A' standard and should compete at the World Championships,” John McNichols, Indiana State men's track and field coach, said. “He has been working hard and should do well at both the World University and World Championships.”
Johnson placed third at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, posting her best throw on her final attempt in the women's shot put to move from fifth to third with a distance of 56'-9¼” (17.30m). She earned her second First-Team All-American honor with the finish. She was fifth at the 2012 Championship with a throw of 56'-1¾” (17.35 meters) and was 18th at the 2011 Championships to earn Honorable Mention All-American recognition with a throw of 52'-6½” (16.01 meters).
She established the Indiana State record in the event with a throw of 59'-11¾” (18.27m) at the East Preliminary this year.
Johnson also finished fifth at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships with her best distance of 56'-4¾” (17.19 meters) on her third attempt after she had fouled on her first two attempts. The distance put her in fifth after the first round of the competition and advanced her to the final round of throws. She was unable to best that distance on her final three attempts.
Johnson is the first member of the Indiana State women's track & field team to compete at the World University Games.
A total of seven men and nine women are currently a part of Team USA for the World University Games (WUG). Athletes eligible for the World University Games include those born between 1985 and 1995, have taken at least one three-credit course toward a degree or diploma in the last year and have met the 2013 WUG qualifying standard.
Team USA will be led by South Carolina head coach Curtis Frye and the women by Southern Illinois head coach Connie Price-Smith.
The men's roster includes: Gavin Sam Kendricks (pole vault); Joe Kovacs (shot put); Ahmed Ali (100m, 4x100m); Mike Woepse (pole vault); Derrick Vicars (shot put, discus); Justin Austin (200m, 4x100m); Montez Blair (high jump).
The women's roster includes: Vashti Mary Thomas (100m hurdles, long jump, 4x100m); Aurieyall Scott (200m, 4x100m); Jeneva McCall (hammer throw, shot put); Jade Barber (100m hurdles, 4x100m); Tristie Johnson (200m, 4x100m); Felisha Johnson (shot put); Landria Buckley (400m hurdles); Nicole Schappert (1500m); Briana Nelson (400m).
Swift competed in the men's 110 meter hurdles for his native Barbados in 2011. The Indiana State junior finished ninth in the semifinals of the 110 Meter Hurdles at the 2011 World University Games in Shenzen, China, with a time of 13.68 which was just four hundredths of a second shy of advancing to the finals.
He has represented his native Barbados well, both in collegiate competition in the United States and in world competition for his national team. Swift earned First Team All-American honors with a seventh place finish at the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships and won his second straight MVC Outdoor title in the event.
Swift had a big year in world competition in 2012 as he took Bronze at the North America Central America Caribbean Under 23 Championships (NACAC), placed second at the AAB National Track & Field Championships to earn a spot on the Barbados Olympic Team, and placed fourth in the fifth heat at the 2012 London games. Besides the World University Games in 2011, Swift was sixth at the Central American and Caribbean Championships (CACC).
The games will be televised on ESPN3. The schedule follows:
Monday, 10 a.m. (ET): http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/1028888/world-university-games-track-field
Tuesday, 11 a.m. (ET): http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/1028894/world-university-games-track-field-individual-all-around
Wednesday, 9 a.m. (ET): http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/1028907/world-university-games-track-field
Thursday, 10 a.m. (ET): http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/1028921/world-university-games-track-field
Friday, 10 a.m. (ET): http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/1028933/world-university-games-track-field
2013 World University Games: http://kazan2013.ru/en
