Natoya Goule-Toppin ran 1:58.89 to claim her ninth Jamaican 800m title on day four of the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Athletics Championships at the National Stadium inn Kingston on Sunday.

The multiple-time Olympic and World Championship finalist comfortably won ahead of 1500m champion, Adelle Tracey, who ran a season’s best 2:01.11. Clemson’s Jessica McLean was third in 2:05.76.

On the men’s side, Rajay Hamilton, who entered the championships as Jamaica’s leader in the event with 1:45.91, got the better of last year’s winner and the national record holder, Navasky Anderson, with a 1:47.28 effort.

Anderson ran 1:47.67 in second while Mississippi State’s Tyrese Reid ran 1:48.45 for third.

 

 

Shericka Jackson and Andrew Hudson both defended their respective 200m titles as the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Championships ended at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday.

Jackson, who ran a world leading 10.65 to take the 100m title on Friday, produced another world-leading effort, 21.71, to complete the sprint double for the second consecutive year.

Five-time World 100m champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran a season’s best 22.26 for second while Texas’ Lanae Tava-Thomas ran 22.55 for third.

On the men’s side, Hudson, the reigning NACAC champion, produced a season’s best 20.11 to take the title ahead of Rasheed Dwyer (20.26) and Tyquendo Tracey (20.48). Yohan Blake, the second fastest man of all time in both the 100m and 200m, was fourth in 20.51.

Olympic bronze medalist, Megan Tapper produced one of her customary big-hearted performances to claim her third national 100m hurdles title on day four of the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday.

Tapper got her usual bullet start and held off NCAA Champion and the fastest Jamaican in the world this year, Arkansas’ Ackera Nugent, to win in 12.64. Nugent’s time in second was 12.67 while 2015 World Champion, Danielle Williams, was third in 12.82.

On the men’s side, Commonwealth champion Rasheed Broadbell ran the second fastest time ever by a Jamaican to claim his maiden national title in the 110m hurdles.

Broadbell, Jamaica’s National Sportsman of the Year for 2022, fought off the fast-finishing Olympic champion, Hansle Parchment, to win in a personal best and world-leading 12.94.

Parchment ran a season’s best 13.12 for second while Orlando Bennett was third in a personal best 13.19.

Jaydon Hibbert successfully defended his men’s triple jump title on day four of the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Sunday.

The 18-year-old Arkansas freshman, who already won the SEC and NCAA Indoor and Outdoor titles this season, produced a best effort of 17.68m, a stadium record, for the win. Jordan Scott was second with a best jump of 16.32m.

Hibbert will enter the Budapest World Championships in August as one of the favorites for gold. He is currently the world leader in the event courtesy of his personal best and world under-20 record 17.87m done to win the SEC outdoor title in May.

 

Former Kingston College stalwart Wayne Pinnock successfully defended his national long jump title with a massive leap of 8.32 metres in what was a fierce contest at the National Senior Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Pinnock, 22, who has been in superb form this season, was just off his seasons and personal best of 8.37m. The Arkansas University athlete achieved the winning jump on his second attempt in a negative 0.4 metres per second wind reading.

That lead made things interesting, as it followed the 8.27m registered by 2019 World Championships gold medallist, Tajay Gayle, who had to settle for second place. Carey McLeod rounded off the top three spots, cutting the sand at 8.20m.

Meanwhile, Traves Smikle was crowned the men’s discus champion, following his fifth-round effort of 66.12 metres.

The event which took shape in terms of its competitive at the backend, saw Roje Stona finished second with an effort of 65.92m, which at one point, placed him in pole position. 

Five-time national champion and World Championships silver medallist, Fedrick Dacres, had to settle for third as his best effort was measured at 65.79 metres, well short of his personal best of 70.78m.

Currently enjoying what is possibly the best season of her career, Danniel Thomas-Dodd came into the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Senior Championships with the sole intention of sharpening up on her form for medal contention at next month’s World Championships.

In doing that, Thomas-Dodd won her eighth national shot put title with a mark of 19.08 metres which she believes is a good indicator of how lethal she can be when focused, as throwing at the National Stadium often poses a challenge for her.

She won ahead of Lloydricia Cameron, whose best mark was 16.37m in the two-athlete competition on Saturday.

“I think it was definitely more of a training exercise for me and for me to come out here and finish with a 19.08m is good. I always expected we could because it is very difficult competing at the National Stadium for us as shot putters as the circle is a little bit uphill, so it makes it difficult perception wise to throw far here.

“So, for me to come out and throw 19, once again, is a very good indicator of where I am at. I wanted to throw a little bit further, but I am not disappointed with where I finished,” Thomas-Dodd said.

Still, the 30-year-old pointed out that she would have appreciated more competition on home soil, as she braces for the tough competition to come at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Thomas-Dodd, who is no stranger to success, having won silver medals at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games levels, has thrown five of her top 10 marks ever this season, topped by a national record 19.77m in May in California, and also three 19.66m in Sweden in June.

 “I think in a sense it (the lack of competition) does throw you off a bit, but I am a person who when I am in a competition, I focus on myself so the fact that there were only two of us out there, didn’t really affect me too much,” Thomas-Dodd shared.

“The only thing is that it was hard to get going because there were not many people competing with because you know when someone throws far it makes you want to throw far as well. So, I think that aspect of it was missing, but it was a good competition, I got through it healthy and that is all I can ask for,” she ended.

She often gives of her best each time she touches the runway, and so it came as no surprise that Shanieka Ricketts secured her fifth national triple jump title at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma Senior Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Ricketts, who has been holding consistent form so far this season, topped rivals in the event after cutting the sand at a wind-aided 14.79 metres on her second attempt. The jump which came in a positive 2.6 metres per second wind reading, followed an opening leap of 14.42m which would have also won her the event.

The two-time World Championships silver medallist won ahead of another in form jumper 21-year-old Ackelia Smith of University of Texas, who had a best mark of 14.26m. Imani Oliver of Tracksmith was third at 13.44m.

“It is good to celebrate a national title, this time it’s the fifth national title and also my fifth World Championship, so I am just definitely looking forward to going to there and doing my best as usual,” Ricketts said shortly after the victory.

With her and Smith having already secured the automatic qualifying standard of 14.52m, Ricketts, 31, is anticipating much when they get to the August 19-27 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Though not yet over the automatic standard, Kimberly Williams is on course to make it three Jamaicans in the event next month, should she maintain her position on ranking points.

 “We will also have three females again in this World Championships so I am happy and excited to see what we will be able to do in Budapest,” Ricketts added.

Edwin Allen’s Theianna-Lee Terrelonge and Javorne Dunkley of St Elizabeth Technical were crowned national Under-20 girls’ and boys’ 100-metre champions, after both staved off tough challenges from rivals on day two of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Junior Championships at the National Stadium on Friday.

Terrelonge, who was fairly comfortable throughout the rounds, was seemingly reserving her energy for a big performance which came in the form of a new personal best 11.47 seconds in a positive 1.4 metres per second wind speed.

The 15-year-old, whose previous personal best was 11.49s, held off her older Edwin Allen teammate Tonie-Ann Forbes (11.49s) and the fast-finishing St Catherine’s Asharria Ulett, who also bettered her previous personal best of 11.67s, with her 11.55s-clocking for third.

Dunkley, 18, then followed suit with an even more impressive showing. He got out well from lane four and had rivals struggling in his wake at the half-way point, before powering through the line to stop the clock in 10.17s in a positive 1.2 metres per second reading.

That smashed Dunkley’s previous best of 10.59s, as he won ahead of Jeevan Newby (10.26s) of Motorcade Track Club and Camperdown’s Junior Harris (10.32s).

Holy Childhood’s Abigail Wolfe expectedly topped the girls’ Under-18 100m final in comfortable fashion in a 0.9 metres per second tailwind. She covered the distance in 11.76s, ahead of Canelia Hope (11.95s) of Camperdown and Athletico’s Shanoya Douglas (12.05s).

Another St Elizabeth Technical standout Tramaine turned back the challenge of the Wolmer’s Boys pair of Gary Card and Ainsley McGregor, to win the boys’ Under-18 crown.

Todd clocked 10.46s for the win in a positive 1.2 metres reading, as Card and McGregor who both achieved new personal best marks of 10.61s and 10.66s respectively, had to settle for the minor placing.

Earlier, Chennai Jarrett of St Elizabeth Technical topped the girls’ Under-18 400m hurdles event in a time of 1:01.52, ahead of Rhianna Lewis (1:04.51) of Rhodes Hall and Covent of Mercy’s Halyncia Henry (1:05.95).

The Under-20 girls’ event was won by Edwin Allen’s Tonyan Beckford, who continued her superb form with a 58.78s-clocking. T’Kyla Bennett (1:02.26) of Excelsior and Titchfield’s Vanessa Ward (1:04.23) took the minor placing.

Daniel Wright of Excelsior proved too strong for rivals in the boys’ Under-18 400m hurdles, as he went out hard in the early stages and wasn’t for catching. He stopped the clock in 50.82s, ahead of Hebert Morrison’s Trevoy Smith, who clocked a new personal best 50.41s and Deandre Gayle of Jamaica College who also achieved a personal best 52.63s.

Meanwhile, St Jago’s Jaheene Bell won the boys’ Under-20 event in a new personal best 51.30s, with Antonio Forbes (51.54s) of Kingston College and Tyrece Hyman (51.60s) of MVP as the runners up.

In the field, Jamaica College’s Michael-Andre Edwards was the lone competitor to record a jump over seven metres, as he claimed the Under-18 boys’ long jump title with a mark of 7.20m.

The Old Hope Road athlete finished well ahead of Coke High’s Anthony Hall, who registered a jump of 6.83m for second, and Javid Malcolm (6.07m) of Petersfield High.

It was Munro College’s Javontae Smith, who came out on top in the Under-18 boys’ shot put with a throw of 16.63m. Kingston College’s Despiro Wray (16.17m), was not too far off in second, while a mark of 13.28m was enough to clinch the third-place spot for Joseph Salmon of Clarendon College.

Jaeda Robinson and Davine Dickenson, the duo from Immaculate Conception, claimed a one-three finish in the Under-18 girls’ triple jump.

Robinson achieved her best mark in the second-round when she cut the sand at 11.90m for the win, while Dickenson recorded a jump of 11.12m for third. They were separated St Catherine High’s Rohanna Sudlow separated the pair for the runner-up spot with a best mark of 11.73m.

Aided by a strong tail wind, the boys’ Under-20 long jump competitors produced some big leaps, as Royan Walters of Kingston College finished tops with a mark of 7.75m in a positive 3.4 metres per second reading. He bettered the St Jago pair of Demario Prince and Balvin Israel were second and third with mark of 7.62m and 7.32m respectively.

After a pair of scintillating 100m finals on day two of the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Athletics Championships, Shericka Jackson and Rohan Watson emerged as the champions.

Jackson, already the second fastest woman ever in the 200m, became the joint-fifth fastest woman of all-time in the 100m with a magnificent, world-leading 10.65 to defend her national title.

Sashalee Forbes was second in a personal best 10.96 while Natasha Morrison ran 10.98 for third.

Briana Williams ran a season’s best 11.01 for fourth while double Olympic sprint champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, was fifth in 11.06.

In the men’s equivalent, Rohan Watson, the 21-year-old who turned heads when he ran a then-personal best 9.98 in the heats on Thursday, proved that was no fluke as he held his nerve to stun the field, and the National Stadium crowd. His winning time was 9.91, another personal best.

Ryiem Forde dipped under 10 seconds for the first time, running 9.96 for second while Oblique Seville ran 10.00 for third, narrowly finishing ahead of Jamaica’s leader in the event this year, Ackeem Blake, who ran 10.01 in fourth.

 

Janieve Russell can now call herself a five-time Jamaican champion after she won a thrilling 400m hurdles final on day two of the JAAA/Puma national Senior and Junior Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Friday.

Russell, the reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist, produced a season’s best 53.75 to hold off the fast finishing Andrenette Knight (53.78) and Rushell Clayton (53.81) who finished second and third.

For Knight, this serves as redemption. Last year, she missed out on a national title after falling with 100m to go in the final after leading the whole race.

On the men’s side, Roshawn Clarke produced one of the performances of the Championships to win his maiden national senior crown.

Clarke, still only 19, brought the National Stadium crowd into a frenzy with a brilliant, world junior record-equaling 47.85. Clarke’s time also puts him second on Jamaica’s all-time list for the event behind Winthrop Graham’s 47.60 done in 1993.

Commonwealth Games silver medallist and three-time national champion, Jaheel Hyde, was second in a season’s best 48.45 while Assinie Wilson ran a massive personal best 48.50 for third.

 

 

 

 

 

While claiming his first Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Senior Championships high jump title is all well and good, Romaine Beckford is more intent on hitting the World Athletic Championships automatic qualifying mark of 2.32 metres, which is one of a few objectives he has set for himself this year.

Though ranked in the top 25 at joint 16th with his personal best mark of 2.27m, achieved at the NCAA finals in Austin, Texas last month, Beckford is by no means satisfied with his current position, as he wants to make certain of his spot in Budapest, Hungary next month.

The 20-year-old made the declaration after topping rivals in the high jump finals on Friday’s second day of action at the National Stadium.

His first-time clearance at 2.23m bettered MVP’s Christoff Bryan, who also cleared 2.23m, on a countback, while dethroned national champion Lushane Wilson (2.15m) of GC Foster College.  

“This is my second year jumping as a senior, so it is really exciting to know to have won my first senior championship on this occasion and I am just excited about the win,” said Beckford, formerly of University of South Florida, who contested the event as an unattached athlete.

“But I am still trying to work on getting the (Automatic World Championships) height and at the same time, I am also trying to get as much points as possible so I can stay in the points ranking,” he added.

To say that it has been a very successfully season for Beckford so far, would be a great understatement, as he completed the double of the NCAA outdoor and indoor championship honours, with this national title, now topping the cards.

Beckford attributes those achievements to the experienced gained last year, particularly at the Commonwealth Games where he finished among the top eight finalists.

 “The biggest thing for me was garnering all that experience last year, jumping with the seniors at the Commonwealth Games as well, I think it kind of boost my confidence to know that I can really get to the top by virtue of not only jumping with some top jumpers, but also finish close to them. So, I am just using that experience and just trying to fulfill my goals,” he shared.

Such was his confidence and form coming into the championships that even the strong winds that swept across the Stadium, couldn’t through Beckford off his rhythm.

“Most of track and field is a mental thing, just as it is physical, so you just have to keep your mind ready at all times for any condition and it is just how you execute on the day, so I just kept my mind steady and adjusted to the conditions,” Beckford noted.

That said, the soft-spoken pointed out that getting to and, by extension, producing a quality performance at the World Championships, marks the first target on his list of ambitions.

“That’s one of my biggest objectives because from Germaine Mason stopped jumping for Jamaica, we haven’t had a high jumper qualify for the Olympic Games. So that’s what I am working on to make sure I am one of those high jumpers that will perform on the biggest stage for Jamaica, so I am trying to pick up the legacy and set a good trend for myself,” Beckford ended.

Holmwood Technical’s Celine Riddle was among the top performers that claimed victory in their respective field events on the first day of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Junior Championships at the National Stadium on Thursday.

Riddle,18, proved too good for rivals in the Under-20 girls’ triple jump, as she required only three jumps to achieve the winning mark of 12.69m in a 1.2 metres per second wind reading. She was just outside her personal best of 12.96m.

Jade-Ann Dawkins of St Jago was expected to make things interesting, but she struggled to find rhythm before eventually cutting the sand at a best mark of 12.63m in a 0.8 metres per second reading, while Jade-Ann Smith (12.22m) of Excelsior, was third.

Immaculate Conception’s Zoelle Jamel won the girls’ Under-17 javelin throw with a mark of 43.75m, ahead of Alliah Gittens of Edwin Allen, who achieved a best mark of 31.27m in the two-athlete contest.

Tarique Daley of Calabar launched the javelin to 54.72m to win the boys’ Under-17 event, ahead of Edwin Allen’s Dylan Logan (45.61m) and Alex Benjamin (43.41m) of Titchfield High.

The girls’ Under-20 javelin event only attracted two competitors and was won by Sheniela Williams of Edwin Allen. She launched the instrument to 36.14m to better Tamecia Binda of Dinthill Technical, who only mustered 28.36m.

Rohanna Sudlow of St Catherine High topped the girls; Under-18 long jump, as she cut the sand at the winning mark of 6.03m on her second attempt. She finished ahead of the Excelsior High pair of Shelley Ann Taylor (5.63m) and Xavi Harvey (5.24m).

Elsewhere in the field, St Jago’s Abigail Martin finished tops in the girls’ Under-20 discus throw, after achieving a best mark of 53.55m. She won ahead of the Johnson sisters Britannia Johnson (48.88m) and Britannie (43.74m).

Meanwhile, on the track, St Elizabeth Technical’s Javorne Dunkley headlined qualifiers to the semi-finals of the boys’ Under-20 100m, with a comfortable 10.28s-clocking.

Jeevan Newby of Motorcade Track Club was the next best qualifier at 10.39s, while Camperdown’s Junior Harris (10.45s), Orlando Wint (10.59s), also of St Elizabeth Technical and Excelsior’s Damor Miller (10.40s), are also in contention for the national title.

The sprint events were always anticipated to be the highlight of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/Puma National Junior and Senior Championships, and they are certainly living up to those expectations, as there were a number of explosive performances, particularly in the men’s 100m on Thursday’s opening day of action at the National Stadium.

Aside from a few sub-10 second and personal best clocking, one of the biggest shockers of the night came when 2011 World Champion Yohan Blake –who many hoped would have rolled back the clock and produce a top performance –false-started and will now have to possibly turn his attention to the 200m, if he is to make the country's team to the World Athletics Championships next month.

The 33-year-old Blake was the defending national champion as he produced a timely sub-10 clocking in victory at last year's championships.

Still, the moderate turn out in the grandstand didn't leave disappointed, as MVP's Kishane Thompson and Kadrian Goldson of GC Foster College, announced themselves in a big way with massive personal best times of 9.91s and 9.94s respectively to lead all qualifiers into the semi-finals. 

Thompson, 22, running in heat one, surprised favourite Ackeem Blake of Titans Track Club, storming to his new lifetime best in a 0.6 metres per second wind reading, as he lowered his previous best of 10.21s set last year. Blake, who was ahead of the pack at one point, seemingly eased up off the accelerator too early and settled for second in a flat 10.00s, with Ryiem Forde of Adidas, taking third in a new personal best 10.01s.

Meanwhile, Goldson, running in heat three, maintained his focus despite two early false starts by Rasheed Foster of Cameron Blazers and Yohan Blake of Titans Track Club.

The 26-year-old Goldson powered his way to his new lifetime best in a 0.7 metres per second reading, to lower his previous best of 10.08s achieved last month. MVP’s Rohan Thompson also had a new personal best 9.98s in second, with Julian Forte (10.10s) of Elite Performance, in third.

Prior to that, another favourite for the national title Oblique Seville, cruised to a flat 10.00s while smiling all the way to the line in a 0.3 metres per second reading. That just about signals that the Glenn Mills Racers Track Club charge is fit and healthy to turn back all challengers at the decisive end of the event on Friday.

MVP’s Ramone Barnswell with a personal best 10.13s, Tyquendo Tracey (10.22s) of Swept Track Club, Nigel Ellis (10.07s) of Elite Performance, Michael Campbell (10.10s) of MVP and Bouwahjgie Nkrumie (10.21s) of Dr. Speed, will also line up in the semi-finals on Friday.

On the women’s side of action, there were no surprises as the inform Shericka Jackson of MVP seems set to retain her title, after easing to 10.99s in a 0.0 wind reading, following what was one of her most efficient starts in recent times. Her MVP teammate Jonielle Smith (11.19s) and Briana Williams (11.19s) of Titans Track Club, were second and third respectively.

It was not so smooth for two-time Olympic Games sprint double champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who is still working her way back to form, as she had to dig deep to win her heat in 11.12s in a 0.3 metres per second reading. The New Era Track Club representative held off Ashanti Moore (11.15s) of Adidas and the fast-finishing Shockoria Wallace (11.19s) of MVP.

National Under-20 record holder Alana Reid (11.14s) of Nike, Sprintec’s Remona Burchell (11.20s), Natasha Morrison (11.00s) of MVP and another Sprintec representative Shashalee Forbes (11.09s), also safely progressed to the semi-finals.

Texas A&M’s Lamara Distin won her second Jamaican high jump title on day one of the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Thursday.

The reigning Commonwealth Games champion’s best clearance was a height of 1.91m, the same height she cleared to win the NCAA Indoor title in March. Distin also took silver at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June with 1.87m.

Kimberley Williamson, a seven-time national champion, was second with a best clearance of 1.85m.

Tissanna Hickling is Jamaica’s national long jump champion for a third time after taking the event on day one of the JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Thursday.

The 25-year-old, who entered Thursday’s competition with a personal best of 6.82m set back in 2019, bettered that mark by .03m to add to her 2018 and 2019 crowns, achieving the automatic qualifying standard for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest later this year in the process.

Hickling produced a consistent card, bettering 6.50m with all her jumps.

Chanice Porter, also a three-time national champion, was second with a best jump of 6.72m while the University of Texas’ Ackelia Smith, the current NCAA champion and world leader with 7.08m done in May, was third with a best jump of 6.66m.

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