Samuels Wins Another Gold Balumbu Second at NACAC

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Razorback soon-to-be senior J-Mee Samuels won his second gold medal at the 2008 North America, Central America and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-23 Track & Field Championships in Toluca, Mexico.

Competing as a member of the 4×100-meter relay team, Samuels anchored Team USA to a gold-medal finish over teams from Canada, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Mexico. The quartet of Jeremy Hall (Florida), Teddy Williams (UT- San Antonio), Chris Dykes (Texas A&M) and Samuels combined for a clocking of 38.39.

A three-time All-American and 2007 IAAF World Championships participant, Samuels won the 100 meters on Friday with a blistering time of 10.09 and a legal wind of 0.3 meters per second. His time matches the second best he has ever run in an Arkansas uniform.

The 2008 NCAA Indoor Champion in the triple jump, Arkansas soon-to be senior and team captain Nkosinza Balumbu, earned a silver medal in his signature event. His best jump of the day measured 51-9.25, good for his second-place finish. Balumbu ends the 2008 campaign with a national title, two All-America honors, two SEC titles and two All-SEC honors.

The NACAC Athletic Association’s U-23 Championships are held every two years in one of the 32 member nations of the North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association, one of six regional athletics associations affiliated with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Seventy-eight athletes have been named to the Team USA roster which was announced Wednesday by USA Track & Field.

For complete details and results from the NACAC Championships, visit www.usatf.org.