Related items

• Hibbert among three finalists for World Athletics Men’s Rising Star Award for 2024

  World Under-20 triple jump record holder Jaydon Hibbert was named by World Athletics on Monday as one of three finalists for the 2024 Men’s Rising Star Award.

  In 2024, Hibbert was the World U-20 leader in the event with his 17.75m done at the Racers Grand prix on June 1 at the National Stadium in Kingston.

  At the Paris Olympics in August, the 19-year-old narrowly missed out on a medal, jumping 17.61m to finish fourth by .03 centimeters.

  The other two finalists are Italian World Under-20 long jump record holder Mattia Furlani, who also took home World Indoor silver and Olympic bronze, and the Netherlands’ Niels Laros who broke the World U-20 1000m record and finished sixth at the Paris Olympics in the 1500m.

  The winner of the award will be announced on December 1.

• Jamaican Olympic gold medalist Roje Stona leaning towards potential NFL career shift: "I'm curious to see what I can do on the field..."

  Roje Stona, Jamaica’s Olympic discus champion who created history in Paris this summer with a record-breaking throw of 70m, is contemplating a surprising career shift to the NFL. The 25-year-old, who became the first Jamaican to win Olympic gold in the shot put, is exploring the possibility of trying his hand in American football, a sport he has little experience in but significant curiosity about.

  Prior to the Paris Olympic Games, the former Ruseas and St Jago High School student and Clemson University and University of Arkansas alumnus took part in NFL rookie training camps with the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints. Though unfamiliar with the game—he donned a football helmet for the first time during these sessions—Stona is intrigued by the opportunity to translate his athletic prowess to the football field. "If there’s like a 99 percent chance that I’ll make a team, then, obviously, I’ll go for it,” Stona shared in an interview with CNN Sport, acknowledging the risk to his athletics career, "but if it’s like one or two, though, I got to be realistic."

  Having initially been inspired by Usain Bolt's Olympic gold at Beijing 2008, Stona gravitated toward athletics after a youth spent exploring various sports, including soccer, his first love. It wasn’t until high school that he found his true calling in track and field, particularly the discus throw. "I yanked it, it just dropped right out of 20 meters," he recalled of his first experience with the discipline.

  Stona’s path to Olympic glory was further shaped by his collegiate career in the United States. At Clemson and later at the University of Arkansas, he was mentored by Ryan Crouser, a three-time Olympic shot put champion. Crouser’s guidance during Stona’s final year of collegiate eligibility instilled in him the confidence to push his limits, ultimately leading to his standout performance in Paris.

  While his NFL aspirations remain in the exploratory stage, Stona is taking a calculated approach. With the NFL season already underway, he plans to prioritize rest and recovery after a demanding athletics season but admits his interest is piqued. "Everywhere I go, people don’t ask, ‘Hey, you’re a discus thrower?’ No, people don’t ask that!" Stona joked. “Especially in the States, they ask, ‘Do you play football?’”

  Stona’s next steps will involve discussions with agents and coaches to assess the feasibility of an NFL career. "As soon as I get advice from agents and coaches, that will put me in a better position to make a very important decision or just be more decisive if it’s worth it or not,” he said. “If that part leads me there, then I’m going to give it my all because it’s kind of now or never. I’m curious as to what I can do on the field, and if I end up playing in the NFL, that would be a part of my legacy – I’d love to do that.”

• Carey McLeod leaps to national title, Nickisha Pryce fastest into 400m final of Day Three of Jamaica National Championships

  Day three of the Jamaica National Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday saw some thrilling performances, headlined by Carey McLeod's victory in the men's long jump and Nickisha Pryce's impressive run in the 400m semi-finals.

  McLeod clinched the men's long jump title with a leap of 8.38m but the highlight of the event was Shawn-D Thompson's dramatic qualification for the Paris Olympic Games. Thompson, who previously had a personal best of 8.13m from 2019 and a season’s best of 7.93m, saved his best for last. He produced a massive 8.30m effort in the final round, securing second place and a spot on the Olympic team.

  Thompson's jump initially seemed to be a foul, but after review, it was deemed valid. His final leap pushed national record holder and two-time World Championships medallist Tajay Gayle out of contention. Wayne Pinnock finished third with an 8.27m effort.

  Nickisha Pryce, competing in Jamaica for the first time since setting a national record at the NCAA Championships, dominated the women’s 400m semi-finals. Pryce clocked 49.63 seconds, the fastest time heading into Sunday's final. Pryce, who also set the NCAA record with 48.89 seconds, was the only Jamaican to run under 50.00 seconds on Saturday.

  Barbados' Sada Williams posted a season’s best of 49.80 seconds, while Junelle Bromfield achieved a lifetime best of 50.74 seconds, meeting the Olympic qualifying standard. Stacey-Ann Williams ran 50.93 seconds, with veteran Stephenie-Ann McPherson recording her fastest time in two years at 51.10 seconds. Ashley Williams (51.16s), Charokee Young (51.58s), and Shaquena Foote (51.62s) also made it to the final.

  The men's 110m hurdles final on Sunday promises a thrilling showdown, with the last two Olympic champions, Hansle Parchment and Omar McLeod, and Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell, all qualifying from Saturday’s semi-finals. The trio will compete for the three spots on the Jamaican team for the Olympic Games in August.

  The women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals saw World Champion Danielle Williams and Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper advancing to Sunday's final. Ackera Nugent led the qualifiers with a season’s best of 12.46 seconds followed by Williams at 12.57 seconds and Tapper, running with a sore hamstring at 12.71 seconds.

  Oneka Wilson of Clemson University clocked a personal best of 12.76 seconds, a similar time as Demisha Roswell, while 2019 World Championships finalist Janeek Brown (12.83s) and Amoi Brown (12.86s) also advanced.

  Notably, national record holder and World Championships silver medallist Britany Anderson, running in Jamaica for the first time since 2022, failed to get past the semi-finals.

  The action-packed day set the stage for an exciting final day of competition on Sunday, with several athletes looking to secure their places for the Paris Olympic Games.