Jamaican trio dominates men’s 800m at Tom Jones Memorial, as Farquharson takes top spot

At the 2024 Tom Jones Memorial held at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida, Jamaican athletes showcased their dominance in the men's 800m event, securing a remarkable 1-2-3 finish.

Kimar Farquharson, a junior at Texas A&M, led the Jamaican sweep with a winning time of 1:46.69 minutes. Navasky Anderson, Jamaica’s national record holder, closely followed in second place with a time of 1:46.76 minutes, while Tarees Rhoden, a senior at Clemson University, completed the trio with a time of 1:46.82 minutes.

In the women's equivalent, Vincentian star Shafiqua Maloney claimed victory with a time of 1:59.97 minutes. She was followed by Clemson’s Gladys Chepngetich (2:00.53) in second place and Houston’s Kelly-Ann Beckford (2:00.70) in third.

Jamaican Stacey Ann Williams secured second place in the women's 400m invite, crossing the line in 50.71. The event was won by American Alexis Holmes in 50.65, with Britton Wilson taking third place with a time of 50.74.

In the women’s discus invite, Jamaican Clemson junior Marie Forbes achieved a personal best throw of 58.31m, earning her second place behind Florida’s Alida Van Daalen (62.58m). Ohio State’s Faith Bender secured third place with a throw of 56.91m.