Newly crowned Jamaican 100m champion Kishane Thompson faced numerous obstacles before delivering an astounding performance at the Jamaican National Championships on Friday night.
Despite a late night on Thursday, incomplete post-race recovery, and an extended session with doping control officers, Thompson surged to win his semi-final in 9.84 seconds and then stunned the athletics world with a world-leading 9.77 seconds in the final, securing his place at the Paris Olympics this summer.
Thompson’s extraordinary journey to the title began with an impressive semi-final run that set the stage for the final. His remarkable 9.77 in the final not only booked his ticket to Paris but also made him the fourth fastest Jamaican in history, behind legends Usain Bolt (9.58) Yohan Blake (9,69), and Asafa Powell (9.72), and the ninth fastest ever globally.
After his incredible performance, Thompson opened up about the challenges he faced. Following his heats on Thursday night, in which he clocked 9.82, he was singled out for a drug test, causing a significant delay in his post-race recovery.
"Apparently, they came to do a drug test, and we were saying it’s just the heats. We could understand if it’s after the finals, but they said ‘No,’ I hadn’t run from season and I opened with such a fast time in the heats, so they said it looks suspicious," Thompson explained. He eventually got home after 1 am on Friday, severely impacting his rest and recovery.
Thompson's coach, Steven Francis, acknowledged the difficult circumstances before the final, suggesting it might not be the anticipated clash between Thompson and pre-race favourite Oblique Seville. However, Thompson defied the odds and his coach's expectations, delivering a scintillating performance in the final. Seville finished second in a lifetime best of 9.82 seconds, while Ackeem Blake took third in 9.92 seconds.
World Athletics
Reflecting on his experience running three rounds, Thompson said, “It’s feeling tired-good, not tired-bad. It’s not something that I can’t manage, something that I expected, and it’s the first I am actually doing rounds, so I am really satisfied.”
In the final, Thompson followed his coach’s instructions to run the first 60m hard and then shut it down.
“My coach Steven Francis, he instructed me to just run the first 60, nothing more. After that I should just shut it down. If I came second of third, I make the team. The goal wasn’t to do anything, just to run a 70 or 60m and see where I am at.
“Honestly, I have a lot to improve on physically and mentally. I was playing catch up of some sort and I was trying to adjust and go at the same time. It’s kind of all new to me but I am getting it slowly. We have some technicalities to work on, my transition, snapping down, my turnovers, my reaction and just staying fit and healthy. I am not sure how fast I can go but the time did not surprise me tonight.”
Despite the challenges, Thompson remains optimistic about his future, especially with the lessons learned from his first experience running rounds. “I didn’t know how to conserve. I tried it in the first two rounds but one, I nearly fell, and two, I just didn’t know how to apply myself with that speed because I’ve never done rounds,” he admitted.
Looking ahead to the Paris Olympics, Thompson is eager and confident. “It is really a great and humble feeling. I saw the 2008 Olympics and it set my standard in this sport. From there I knew that I wanted it, so it is a really good feeling,” he shared.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
JAAA prepares contingency plans ahead of Hurricane Beryl to protect Olympic athletes' training programmes
With Hurricane Beryl barreling towards Jamaica and expected to make landfall later this week, the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA) is proactively looking at ways to mitigate potential disruptions to the training programmes of Olympic athletes.
The athletes, who secured their spots on Jamaica's team for the 2024 Paris Olympics just this past weekend, face the looming threat of the hurricane's strong winds, which exceed 100 kph. These conditions could lead to blockages on roadways and significant damage to training sites, hampering the athletes' final preparations for the global competition, which kicks off in just over three weeks.
JAAA Vice President Ian Forbes spoke to Sportsmax.TV about the association's plans to address any significant disruptions caused by the hurricane. "One has to try forecast and plan ahead as best as possible," Forbes said. "A lot of that would possibly be done on a case-by-case basis, so in terms of contingencies, we have facilities. Once they are accessible, they will be allowed full access, the main one being the National Stadium for the locals and even some of the overseas athletes who might, for want of a better term, be trapped here because of the inclement weather. So certainly, full access would be granted."
Forbes also mentioned other potential sites that could be utilized to ensure the athletes' training is not compromised. "There are some other sites that could be called upon to facilitate, for example, GC Foster College, possibly UWI, Jamaica College, Calabar, and Kingston College, those places with synthetic surfaces."
The discussions within the JAAA are still in the preliminary stages, with a meeting scheduled soon to address all these issues comprehensively. "We are going to be meeting in a little while so all those issues will be addressed," Forbes added.
The association's contingency measures are geared towards providing the best possible support to the nation's athletes as they gear up for one of the most significant sporting events in the world.
Champs 200m gold medallist Amal Glasgow heading to LSU
Louisiana State University (LSU) has secured the services of Vincentian 200m and 400m runner Amal Glasgow ahead of the next NCAA Track & Field season, the school announced on social media last week.
The 19-year-old former Kingston College standout had the best season of his young career in 2024.
He secured a pair of medals at the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March, winning silver in the Class One 400m in 46.85 before going one better in the 200m with 21.22, a personal best.
At the JAAA Olympic French Foray #3 on June 15, Glasgow established a new personal best 46.13 in the 400m.
Glasgow, who is also a two-time 400m bronze medallist at the CARIFTA Games, will join a number of Caribbean athletes at LSU including the likes on NCAA Indoor 60m champion Brianna Lyston, CARIFTA Games 100m silver medallist Jaiden Reid and NCAA Championship 110m hurdles semi-finalist Jaheim Stern.
“But with God, all things are possible,” Glasgow said on Instagram.
“Without God, the past three years that have been filled with many experiences and journeys would not have happened. A humble beginning from Kingstown to Kingston and now to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As one purple chapter ends, another begins. LSU here I come. Let’s go Tigers,” he added.
Jamaican sprint legends Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell praise Kishane Thompson's electrifying performances at National Championships
Two of the fastest men in history, Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell, have heaped praise on rising star Kishane Thompson following his sensational performances at the Jamaica National Championships on Friday night.
Thompson, who was making his season debut, stunned the athletics world with a series of remarkable times: 9.82 seconds in the preliminaries, 9.84 seconds in the semi-finals, and a jaw-dropping 9.77 seconds in the final, despite trying to slow down towards the end. His efforts secured him a spot at the Paris Olympics and have reignited the hopes of Jamaican sprinting fans.
Blake, the second fastest man of all time with his 9.69 clocking in Lausanne in August 2012, expressed his excitement for Thompson’s future. Blake, who famously ran 9.75 at the 2012 National Championships and 9.69 in Lausanne later that year, sees immense potential in Thompson.
"I think great things are in store for Kishane. That was a big run! I am happy for him and I think he can go all the way and bring Jamaica the gold," Blake said.
Blake's words come with significant weight, given his own storied career. He famously defeated Usain Bolt at the 2012 National Championships and went on to finish second to Bolt at the London Olympics with a time of 9.75 seconds, a performance that remains one of the fastest in history.
Thompson’s performances have not only earned him accolades from legends but have also reignited the passion of Jamaican sprinting fans, who have been longing for a new hero since the retirement of Usain Bolt in 2017 and Powell’s subsequent exit from the track. Severe injuries limited Blake's performance in recent years, but Thompson’s emergence has given fans renewed hope.
In the finals on Friday night, Oblique Seville, who many considered the pre-race favorite, finished second with an impressive 9.82 seconds, while another rising Jamaican sprinter, Ackeem Blake, took third in 9.92 seconds.
Powell, known for his world record-setting runs of 9.77 in Athens in 2005 and 9.74 in Rieti in 2007, also had high praise for Thompson. Powell, who holds the record for the most wind-legal sub-10 second runs, believes Thompson is just getting started.
"Jamaica has been asking for an answer since we retired, and they now have it. Kishane will run faster than 9.77 this year. That’s what I think," Powell stated.
Powell’s confidence in Thompson’s ability to surpass his recent times adds to the anticipation surrounding the young sprinter’s future performances. With his lifetime best of 9.72 and a record 97 wind-legal times under 10 seconds, Powell has set a high standard for Jamaican sprinters, and his endorsement of Thompson signals the arrival of a new era in Jamaican sprinting.
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