Essex College Athletes Competing in Olympics

When the track and field athletes compete in the 2012 summer games, Essex County will be well represented.

Among the competitors will be Moussa Dembele and nine other Essex County College track team graduates.

Three of the former ECC Lady Wolverines who have won a total of six medals in previous Olympics are among this year’s ECC Olympians, according to Wayne Yourstone, a college spokesman.

Moussa turned in his fastest time in the 110 meter hurdles this past spring for the college in the National Junior College Athletic Association Outdoor championship. He has been an ECC staple in multiple sprint events the past two seasons running for the Green and Gold, the college's colors.

“It’s certainly extremely gratifying to see so many of our student-athletes compete at the Olympics,” said veteran Coach Michael Smart. “Our success at these international games shows a clear commitment the College has to our track program.”

At the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, 11 former ECC student-athletics competed, the most of any two-year college in the nation.

Four nations, Jamaica, Grenada, Bahamas and Senegal, will be represented by the college in the high profile track events, Yourstone said. 

• Moussa will compete for Senegal in the 110 meter high hurdles, he said.
• Melaine Walker, class of 2004, will look to defend the gold medal she won four years ago in Beijing in the 400 meter hurdles.
• Fellow Jamaican teammate Kerron Stewart, class of 2005, will run in the 100 meters and 4x100 meter relay, Yourstone said. Four years ago she captured Silver in the 100 meters and Bronze in the 200 meters.
• Novlene Williams-Mills, also running for Jamaica, won bronze at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. A member of the class of 2000, she will compete in the 400 meters and 4x400 meter relay, Yourstone said.
• Second time Olympians Korine Hinds, competing in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, and Kenia Sinclair, running in the 800 meters, are also running for Jamaica as is first time competitor Riker Hylton, class of 2010, in the men’s 4x400 meter relay.
• Korine graduated from ECC in 1998 and Kenia in 2001, Yourstone said.
• Grenada’s representation from the college will be from Kanika Beckles in the 400 meters and Joel Readhead in the 200 meters. Beckles is a 2011 alumna of the college and Readhead graduated in 2007.
• Demetrius Pinder, class of 2009, will represent the Bahamas in the 400

Here is a schedule of the track and field events.