On Saturday, Carey McLeod was crowned national long jump champion at the ongoing JAAA/PUMA National Junior and Senior Championships at the National Stadium.
McLeod, who finished fourth at last year’s World Championships, managed a leap of 8.38 meters to secure victory. Wayne Pinnock finished second with an 8.27-meter effort, while Shawn-D Thompson rounded off the top three with a mark of 8.08 meters. Two-time national champion Tajay Gayle had to settle for fourth with a 7.98-metre jump.
Traves Smikle booked his spot at the Paris Olympics by winning the national discus title for the third consecutive year, and his sixth title overall. Smikle achieved a championship-best distance of 66.82 meters on his second attempt. Roje Stone took second with a throw of 65.29 meters, while Ralford Mullings claimed bronze with 64.92 meters. Reigning national record holder Fedrick Dacres finished fourth with a distance of 64.46 meters.
Shanieka Ricketts won her sixth national triple jump title with a leap of 14.50 meters. Ricketts, a two-time world championship silver medalist, achieved her winning mark on her penultimate jump, narrowly edging out reigning long jump champion Ackelia Smith, who finished second with a mark of 14.44 meters. Imani Oliver took third with a distance of 13.69 meters.
Thomas-Dodd was crowned champion
Danniel Thomas-Dodd was crowned champion in the women’s shot put with 19.32 meters. Thomas-Dodd was the only competitor of the four to throw over 18 meters, achieving this on her third attempt. Lloydricia Cameron finished second with a mark of 17.62 meters, while Danielle Sloley took third with 15.05 meters.
On the track Nickisha Pryce, competing in Jamaica for the first time since breaking the national record at the NCAA Championships in June, easily qualified for Sunday’s final of the women’s 400m by running 49.63 seconds in the semi-finals. Pryce, who set the NCAA record with 48.89 seconds, was the only Jamaican under 50 seconds. Barbados’ Sada Williams ran a season’s best 49.80 seconds.
Junelle Bromfield ran a lifetime best of 50.74 seconds to achieve the Olympic qualifying standard, while Stacey-Ann Williams ran 50.93 seconds. Veteran Stephenie-Ann McPherson ran her fastest time in two years with 51.10 seconds. Ashley Williams (51.16), Charokee Young (51.58), and Shaquena Foote (51.62) also advanced to the final.
Olympic champions Hansle Parchment and Omar McLeod, along with Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell, are set to clash in the final of the 110m hurdles on Sunday. They qualified after Saturday’s semis.
Parchment won his semi-final
Parchment won his semi-final in 13.42 seconds (-0.1m/s), McLeod was second in his heat in 13.34 seconds (-0.9m/s), beaten by Broadbell’s 13.32 seconds. Orlando Bennett led the qualifiers with a season’s best 13.28 seconds (-0.2m/s). Tyler Mason (13.30), NCAA finalist Jerome Campbell (13.50), and Odario Phillips (13.47) also advanced.
World Champion Danielle Williams and Olympic Games bronze medallist Megan Tapper are among the finalists for Sunday’s 100m hurdles final. Ackera Nugent led the qualifiers with a season’s best 12.46 seconds (-1.1m/s), followed by Williams with 12.57 seconds (-1.1m/s) and Tapper’s 12.71 seconds (-0.6m/s).
Oneka Wilson of Clemson University ran a personal best of 12.76 seconds (-1.1m/s), the same time as Demisha Roswell. Janeek Brown (12.83) and Amoi Brown (12.86) also advanced. National record holder and World Championships silver medalist Britany Anderson, running in Jamaica for the first time since 2022, did not advance past the semi-finals.
