Tennessee State Track and Field Star Clariwin Dameus Named OVC Women's Athlete of the Year

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

(photo from TSU athletics web site)

In what turned out to be no surprise to anyone, Tennessee State's Clairwin Dameus, who dominated Ohio Valley Conference women's track and field for the past three seasons, was named the OVC's Female Athlete of the Year.

Dameus has won three straight OVC Athlete of the Championship in running roughshod over the competition during the OVC Indoor Track and Field Championships.  This year she won the pentathlon, long jump and was part of the 4x400 meter relay team.  She was second in the 55 meters and the 55 meters hurdles.

She won the long jump and 400 meter hurdles during the outdoor season and was part of the winning 4x100 meter relay team.  She won silver medals in the 100 meters and with the 4x400 meter relay team.

Dameus became TSU's first two-time Division I USTFCCCA first-team All American after finishing sixth in the long jump and eighth in the pentathlon during the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships. She competes in the heptathlon during the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 8-11 and will attempt to qualify for the long jump, 100 meters hurdles and as a member of the 4x400 meters relay team during the NCAA East Preliminary Round May 26-28.

Dameus is the first TSU woman to win the honor.  Former TSU football star Carlos Rodgers won the OVC Athlete of the Year in 1994 while football star Charles Anthony won it in 2005.