Triumph in Tokyo

2025 TRIUMPH IN TOKYO

A FINAL WORD When the medal table is updated in September, do not just look at the 100m times or the 4x100m relay results. Watch the discus cage, the high jump apron, the long jump pit, and the triple jump runway. It’s likely that field athletes will again add to the medal tally. Jamaica’s field stars carry more than personal ambition. They prove that our athletic identity is broader than sprinting. Jamaica’s next great moment in athletics history might not happen in a lane – it might take place in the air, over the bar, or at the end of a perfect throw, courtesy of a quiet giant.

WHY THIS MATTERS Field events in Jamaica have never had the depth or visibility of the sprints, but are finally leaving sprinting’s shadow. The stories here are about persistence, technique, and often years of unheralded work before the world pays notice. They are about athletes who have the option to represent other nations but choose to wear the Jamaican colours, often without the fanfare or money their counterparts on the track enjoy. As the second Tokyo World Championships get underway, Jamaica’s field stars carry more than personal ambition. They carry the weight of proof that our athletic identity is broader than sprinting. We can jump, throw, and vault with the best of them – and win!

High Jump • Romaine Beckford – His 2.26m season best is very close to his 2.30m PB set in 2025. • Raymond Richards matched his own 2.30m PB in 2025 and is rising fast. Throws • Ralford Mullings – At just 22, the new discus sensation has a fresh 72.01m PB/NR and is ranked #6 in the world. • Samantha Hall – discus talent with the ability to challenge for finals. • Nayoka Clunis – breaking ground for Jamaica in the women’s hammer throw. Twice past 15 metres, Shanieka Ricketts won a silver medal at the Olympics, two others at World Championships and acclaim as one of the world’s most consistent performers in the triple jump. Ranked world #1 this summer, she has another chance to top a global medal podium in Tokyo.

Danniel Thomas-Dodd is a Commonwealth and PanAm Games champion in the shot put, and has also won silver medals at the World Championships (2019 Doha), World Indoor Championships (2018 Birmingham) and Commonwealth Games in the event (2022 Birmingham).