NCAA Championships runner-up, Roje Stona, is looking forward to participating in his first IAAF World Championships set for August 19-27 in Budapest.
The Jamaican Arkansas standout is currently sixth on the world rankings this year with a best throw of 68.64m done to win at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Baton Rouge in May.
He enters Budapest as one of Jamaica’s biggest medal contenders in the field events.
“I’m looking forward to it. I think it will be a good competition. I’ve trained for the last couple weeks after the National Trials. I’m used to the extended season so it’s just for me to go out there and compete for a medal,” Stona said.
Those National Trials saw Stona throw 65.92m to finish second behind Traves Smikle’s 66.12m. 2019 World Championships silver medalist Fedrick Dacres threw 65.79m to complete Jamaica’s team for Budapest.
“It was a good experience. I was happy with the result in terms of finishing top three and getting a solid mark over 65m,” Stona said.
These performances mark a steady improvement for Jamaica in the event. Stona (6th), Dacres (7th) and Smikle (9th) are all in the top 10 in the world this year in the event. Stona’s best performance this season was his aforementioned 68.64m effort at the SEC Championships. Dacres threw 68.57m to win at the Tucson Elite Classic in Arizona in May while Smikle threw a personal best 68.14m at the King of the Ring event at the Excelsior High School on February 11.
“I’m glad to see that there’s a lot of improvement in the event in the country. I’m looking forward to competing with the guys,” Stona said.
At major championships, throwers will get up to three throws in the preliminaries but Stona is hoping he only needs one to achieve the automatic qualifying distance to the final which is 66.00m.
“If you make it to these competitions you are guaranteed three throws so, obviously, I’m going to try to make sure that I qualify from round one to not put myself under any pressure,” he said.
Action can be seen live on the SportsMax app.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Honouring Hubert Lawrence: Jamaica Observer’s Paul Reid accepts Jesse Abramson Award on behalf of late colleague
In a poignant moment during Saturday’s final day of 128th edition of the Penn Relays, veteran sports journalist Paul Reid accepted the prestigious Jesse Abramson Award on behalf of his late friend, brother, and colleague, Hubert Lawrence. The ceremony, tinged with both celebration and remembrance, highlighted Lawrence's unparalleled contributions to track and field journalism and his lasting impact on the sport.
"It's an absolute honour to receive the Jesse Abramson Award for excellence in track and field journalism on behalf of Hubert Lawrence," expressed Reid, who was the first Jamaican sports journalist to receive the award in 2010.
"This award was long overdue given Hubert's outstanding body of work, particularly at the Penn Relays, which he covered for over 25 years. Hubert would have cherished this moment, especially witnessing Excelsior's historic win after nearly 60 years."
Excelsior High School won the Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m in a time of 40.45. It was the first time they were winning the event since they last claimed victory in 1967.
Reid's emotional words encapsulated the deep bond shared with Lawrence, who passed away suddenly on February 23, 2024. The Penn Relays marked a poignant occasion for both friends, whose coverage of the event spanned more than three decades. "He (Lawrence) would have pulled up a long list of statistics and facts," Reid remarked in reference to Excelsior historic win. "It was surreal standing there on the infield during the ceremony as I had missed my award in 2010 because I had no idea that I was being awarded and was busy working at the time. Hubert leaves a massive legacy and he is missed every day, especially at track and field meets."
The decision to honour Lawrence posthumously was prompted by Irwin Clare of Team Jamaica Bickle, a longstanding supporter of Jamaican and Caribbean athletes at the Penn Relays.
"With his untimely passing, we felt this was an extremely appropriate time to honour someone who had such a profound impact on track and field in Jamaica and at the Penn Relays," remarked Aaron Robison, the meet director of the Penn Relays. "Hubert was universally respected and admired, not only by athletes and coaches but also by the entire media fraternity. His integrity and dignity in reporting earned him admiration from all quarters of the sport."
Lawrence's legacy transcended journalism, resonating deeply with athletes and coaches who held him in high regard for his professionalism and genuine passion for track and field.
The posthumous recognition underscores the enduring influence of his work and the profound loss felt by the athletics community. As Reid stood on the infield, accepting the award, the void left by Lawrence's absence was palpable, a testament to the indelible mark he made in the world of sports journalism.
In honouring Hubert Lawrence with the Jesse Abramson Award, the Penn Relays celebrated not only a remarkable journalist but also a cherished friend and colleague whose legacy continues to inspire and resonate within the track and field community.
KC wins third straight Championship of America 4x400m title at Penn Relays; JC wins 4x800m
Kingston College made it three Championship of America 4x400m titles in a row with a comfortable win in the event on the third and final day of the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Antonio Forbes, Amal Glasgow, Roshawn Lee and Marcinho Rose combined to run 3:11.86 to win ahead of Excelsior (3:12.94) and Bullis School (3:13.10).
Elsewhere, Jamaica College won their second Championship of America 4x800m relay in three years.
Their team of Nellie Amberton, Samuel Creary, Rasheed Pryce and Kemarrio Bygrave produced a time of 7:42.37 to win ahead of St. John’s College (7:44.66) and Central Bucks West (7:45.99).
Excelsior leads Jamaican 1-2-3 in Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m at Penn Relays
Excelsior High emerged victorious in the Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m on the third and final day at the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Ryeem Walker, Damor Miller, Malike Nugent and Lennon Green combined to run 40.45 to secure the school’s first win in the event since 1967.
Kingston College (Daniel Clarke, Yourie Lawrence-Clarke, Nyrone Wade, Marcinho Rose) were second in 40.53 and Herbert Morrison (Ky-Mani Hemmings, Tavaine Stewart, Chance Segree, De Andre Daley) completed a Jamaican 1-2-3 with 40.56 in third.
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