This is the most exciting time of year for intercollegiate track and field. The outdoor season is in its final weeks as student-athletes vie for spots in their respective NCAA regionals. The iconic Penn Relays this weekend will prove a testing ground. It will be an opportunity for Jamora Alves, a junior thrower from St. John’s, to cement her place on the national scene.
Alves was recently named Big East Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after earning a silver medal in the shot put with a season-best throw and a bronze in the discus at USF’s South Florida Invitational. These results put her on the NCAA Regionals list.
“I feel really proud,” said Alves, whose major is health and human services, where she’s working for a high grade point average. “Last fall, I had a back injury…but we’re doing rehab. Now, I feel more healthy. I’m more confident in myself going into the remaining competitions.”
Related: St. John’s alumna Amanda Belgrave honored for her remarkable achievements
From Carriacou, Grenada, Alves also hopes to represent the country in international competitions. She had tried to earn a spot on the team for last year’s Olympics in Paris, but did not make it. Not sure about 2028, but she’s working to make international qualifying standards. “Right now, I’m focusing on making the distance,” she said. “This year, I’m focusing on making the NCAAs…for both the discus and the shot put.”
Alves is seeing steady progress in the discus. The shot put is where she’s seen the biggest improvement after making a change to her technique. “I used to spin, and I changed over to the glide, and I think the glide works better for me. I feel stronger,” she said. Throws coach Lexia Robinson has given her more work in the gym, like sprints, to make her throws more explosive.
On May 3, St. John’s hosts its home meet, the Tom Farrell Classic. Then, May 15–17 are the Big East Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Should Alves continue to do well, she and other St. John’s track and field athletes who qualify go to the NCAA East Regional Championship at the end of May in hopes of earning a trip to the NCAA Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon in mid-June.
“This year is my best at St. John’s because I feel more strong and more confident than previous seasons,” Alves said. “I feel like the work that I did in the fall is coming together now.”