Walton to run for Texas A&M University

By Cayman Sports Buzz
- Tweet
- Pin It
Updated: 17 April 2018

Rising track and field star Jamal Walton, who holds the Cayman Islands national records in the 200m and 400m, has committed to attending Texas A&M University in the United States.

Walton, who was recruited by several major schools including the University of Miami, Louisiana State University, and Clemson University, made the announcement on his Twitter page on 16 April.

“After talking it over and weighing my options, my recruitment process has come to an end. With that being said, I have decided to take my talents to Texas A&M University!!!” he wrote.

“I want to thank my family and friends, who have helped during the entire recruiting process. I want to thank all the coaching staffs who have recruited me, hosted me, and kept in contact with me. I want to thank my [number one] supporter, my grandfather for believing in my entire track career and always pushing me to do better,” he stated earlier in the message.

The 19-year-old is currently recovering from a hamstring injury that side-lined him from the just-concluded XXI Commonwealth Games in Australia but is expected to recover quickly.

Walton, who is completing his senior year at Miramar High School in Florida, is seen as a major boost to the Aggies programme at College Station.

He is coming off a superb 2017 that saw him re-set the national 200m and 400m records.

In the one-lap event, which is his stronger of the two, he established a new Pan Am Games U20 record of 44.99 seconds to win gold. That is also the best time ever by a Caymanian over that distance. He also made it to the semi-finals at the IAAF World Championships. Earlier in the year, he posted 20.57 seconds in the 200m at a high school meet to lower his Cayman Islands record.

He won gold in both of his events at the NatWest Island Games in Gotland, Sweden last June, and has also won multiple medals as a junior during his CARIFTA Games career.