Clayton and Clarke Reign Over the 400m Hurdles as Stars Shine on Day 3 of Jamaican Championships
Day 3 of the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships delivered a packed schedule of finals and semifinals across sprints, hurdles, middle distances, and field events at the National Stadium in Kingston, producing standout performances and defending champions reaffirming their dominance.
Rushell Clayton and Roshawn Clarke Dominate the 400m Hurdles
Rushell Clayton stamped her authority on the women’s 400m hurdles, taking her fifth national title in 53.81 seconds. Andrenette Knight (54.52) and Shiann Salmon (54.65) followed closely to round out a podium stacked with international experience.
In the men’s edition, World U20 record-holder Roshawn Clarke delivered a composed race, clocking 48.02 seconds to defend his title. He held off a strong challenge from Assinie Wilson (48.42) and Malik James-King (48.49), confirming his spot for the World Championships.
Women’s 200m Semifinals: Ashanti Moore Leads the Pack
Ashanti Moore, returning for her first 200m race of the season after finishing seventh in the 100m final, clocked 22.92 seconds (-2.8 m/s) to lead all qualifiers into Sunday’s final. Moore looked smooth and in control as she pulled away from the field, with Gabrielle Matthews also advancing after finishing second in the heat in 23.28 seconds.
Middle Distance Showdowns
In the women’s 800m final, Kelly‑Ann Beckford held off a strong field to win in 2:00.23, just ahead of seasoned international Natoya Goule‑Toppin (2:00.97) and Gabrielle Wilkinson (2:01.75).
The men’s 800m final went to Tyrice Taylor, who surged down the homestretch to claim victory in 1:45.26, with Navasky Anderson (1:46.03) and Dylan DeCambre (1:47.56) completing the podium.
Women’s Triple Jump
Olympic and World silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts once again proved untouchable in the women’s triple jump, securing her seventh consecutive national title with a leap of 14.52m (-0.3 m/s). She overtook Ackelia Smith, who had opened with a season’s best 14.44m (+1.3 m/s), but ultimately settled for silver.
Men’s Long Jump
Carey McLeod, bronze medalist at the 2024 World Indoor Championships, defended his men’s long jump title with a best mark of 8.16m (+1.0 m/s). He led the competition from the second round and reinforced his form with another 8.00m+ effort in round five. Already having the World Championships qualifying mark of 8.27m earlier this year, McLeod solidified his status as a medal contender for Tokyo.
What’s Next
Sunday’s grand finale will feature finals in the men’s and women’s 200m, the men’s 400m, and key relay showdowns. With Olympic dreams on the line, Day 4 is set to deliver fireworks.
