With a world junior record in the girls’ 4×100 metres as the highlight, Jamaica’s team to the World Under 20 Championships made substantial revisions to the nation’s all-time junior performance list. The changes came not only in the sprint relay but also in the 100 metres, the 110 metre hurdles, the long jump and the discus.
Tina Clayton struck first with a personal best 11.09 seconds in the second to move up to joint third on the all-time Jamaican junior list. She now stands level with fellow World Under 20 Champion Ackera Nugent who won the 100 metre hurdles in Nairobi.
Clayton is the fourth Jamaican to win the flat 100 metres at the World Under 20 Championships, following Nikole Mitchell, Veronica Campbell Brown and Briana Williams.
Devontie Archer, Kavian Kerr and Ralford Mullings all now hold the number 2 position on their respective Jamaican all time junior lists. Archer, the bronze medalist in the 400 metre hurdles, clocked 49.78 seconds. 2014 and 2016 World Under 20 winner Jaheel Hyde is the only Jamaican to have gone faster. Similarly, Kerr reached 7.90 metres for his bronze in Nairobi and only Wayne Pinnock, the 2018 bronze medallist, has a bigger jump in Jamaican track and field history.
Mullings was magnificent with a 66.68 metre personal best in the discus to secure the runner-up spot. He bolstered his place as the second longest Jamaican junior ever in the event. His former best – 66.61 – was set at the National Championships in June.
Traves Smikle’s Jamaica junior record of 66.88 metres is now a decade old.
Vashaun Vascianna sped through his 110 metre hurdles semi in 13.25 seconds and now is the 8th fastest Jamaican junior hurdler of all time. In the final, he took the silver medal.
With Nairobi’s high altitude aiding all the speed events, Serena Cole, Clayton, 100 metres finalist Kerrica Hill and Tina Clayton destroyed the World Under 20 record of 43.27 seconds, lowering it to 42.94 seconds. Moments later, Alexavier Monfries, Brian Levell, Andrew Gillips and Sandray Davison clicked past the national junior mark of 38.96 to 38.61 seconds. Their efforts earned them silver medals.