Jamaican hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis highlights funding challenges in track and field

Jamaican athlete Nayoka Clunis, who made history earlier this year as the first Jamaican to compete in the Hammer Throw competition at the World Athletics Championships, currently holds the 27th rank globally in Women’s Hammer Throw.

Her achievements also include securing four national titles at the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships, with her most recent victory marked by a remarkable throw of 70.17 meters.

Clunis, who aspired to represent her country on the international stage despite battling injuries and facing various challenges, hoped for some assistance to ease her journey. She expressed her desire for support, stating, "With a little help, I hope to get things moving a little bit smoother, especially next season."

Grappling with the absence of the assistance she had hoped for

However, as Clunis transitioned to the global stage, she found herself grappling with the absence of the assistance she had hoped for. In a post titled 'the pain of being a Jamaican T&F athlete,' she candidly shared her hardships and highlighted the lack of support from the government.

Clunis started her post by saying, "Nobody wants to talk about the lack of funding or sponsorship that track and field athletes get." She pointed out that despite her 27th global ranking, many nations would readily support her career, but her own government had different criteria, demanding a top 5 placement to consider athletes seriously.

The Jamaican government, according to Clunis, covered only her flight and accommodation expenses during national representative meetings, leaving all other costs as her responsibility. She revealed her attempts to address this issue with various authorities, including the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), and even the minister, had yielded no results.

Broke athletes

In conclusion, Clunis used several hashtags in her post, including "broke athletes," "need funding," and "send help."

The athlete's statement garnered significant attention and support after being shared on social media platforms. Many people expressed outrage over her struggles and extended sympathy to the dedicated Jamaican athlete.

Nayoka Clunis currently holds a personal best of 71.13 meters, a record she achieved at the Iron Wood Throws Classic in Idaho, USA.