Roje Stona etched his name in the annals of Jamaican sports history as he secured the nation’s first gold medal of the Paris Olympic Games and, in the process, became the first from the island—male or female—to win an Olympic gold medal in the throws.
In a breathtaking performance, Stona, on his debut at the global multi-sport showpiece, not only clinched the top podium spot but also set a new Olympic record of 70.00m, which marked a monumental achievement for himself and his country, at the Stade de France on Wednesday.
Competing in a world-class field, Stona, who was one of three Jamaicans in the final, stood tall with his impressive fourth-round throw to upset the applecart. He won ahead of World Record holder Mykolas Alekna (69.97m) of Lithuania and Australia’s Matthew Denny (69.31m).
The other Jamaicans, Ralford Mullings (65.61m) and Travis Smikle (64.97m), were ninth and 10th, respectively.
Stona, 25, coached by America’s three-time Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser, was praised by Smikle for his achievement, which is a testament to his relentless work ethic and the rigorous training regimen, which included stints with NFL teams Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.
“I am so happy for him; it’s a big thing to see. Stona is a great thrower, and he showed it today. This is the beautiful thing about track and field; there are a lot of upsets, and Stona is having his moment. I had a bad day and Ralford Mullings had a bad day as well, so Stona’s performance is a great achievement for him and for Jamaica as well,” Smikle said.
Jamaica, renowned for its prowess in sprinting, now has a new hero in field events. In fact, four of the country’s five medals at the Paris Games so far have come in the field, as Kishane Thompson’s 100m silver is the lone medal from the track.
Stona’s historic victory in the discus throw, as well as Rajindra Campbell’s shot put bronze, Shanieka Ricketts’ triple jump silver, and Wayne Pinnock’s long jump silver, heralds a new era of success and diversification in Jamaica’s athletic achievements and promises an exciting future for the island’s athletes in all disciplines.