Nafew Mohammed Checks-In for Nationals Day One at NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Hobbs, NM - The road to Hobbs has reached its defining moment. On Thursday morning, under the wide-open skies of Ross Black Track, the 2026 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships officially begins, and for Essex County College, all eyes immediately turn toward one of the marquee events of opening day: the Men's Javelin.

 

Field events begin at 9:30 a.m. Mountain Time, with the Men's Javelin Trials & Final opening the championship schedule. The event launches three days of national competition at the NJCAA's premier outdoor championship, hosted by New Mexico Junior College from May 14-16 in Hobbs, New Mexico.

 

Watch the championship LIVE here: NJCAA Network Live Stream

 

Standing in the middle of that national spotlight is Essex County College standout, Nafew Mohammed.

 

For the Wolverines, Mohammed is more than just a qualifier. He is the program's pride, its tone-setter, and its championship hopeful entering one of the deepest javelin fields in the country. Coming into today's competition, Mohammed is ranked fifth nationally with a season-best throw of 66.66 meters. The top seed entering the championship has already eclipsed the 73-meter mark this season, creating a field packed with elite talent and national-level distance. But championships rarely unfold on paper. That is what makes the javelin so compelling, and so unforgiving.

 

One throw can change everything.

 

Coach Bruce Berry encouraged Mohammed this morning, stating, "You have no choice but to excel after everything you've been through. This is your moment!" A perfect runway rhythm. A clean plant. A release that catches the morning air just right. In an event measured in centimeters, momentum can swing instantly, and reputations disappear with one foul or one breakthrough attempt. That is why Thursday's opening session carries so much electricity.

 

Mohammed enters the ring knowing he does not need the best mark from March or April. He only needs the best throw today.

 

The Wolverines arrive in Hobbs with confidence and determination, ready to make their mark on the championship stage. The national championship atmosphere at Ross Black Track provides the kind of stage every athlete dreams about, national cameras, packed throwing areas, coaches lining the sectors, teammates pressed against the fencing, and every throw echoing across the facility.

 

For Essex County College, moments like this represent more than competition. They symbolize the rise of a program establishing itself on the national scene against other powerhouse programs from across the country. And for Mohammed, this is the opportunity every thrower chases: the chance to step into a national final and leave with a medal, a breakthrough, and a performance that will be remembered long after the runway clears.

 

Thursday morning, the championship begins with the spear in the air.