In the quiet corners of Buff Bay, Portland, Kildare District to be precise, a young Jamaican high jumper once told his mother, “Mommy, I know you want me in a shirt and tie, but I’m not that person. I’m going to make you proud.” On Friday morning in Nanjing, China, Raymond Richards fulfilled that promise.
Jamaican thrower Ralford Mullings, more widely known for his dominance in the discus, stepped into the shot put ring at the Tyson Invitational on Saturday and delivered a third-place finish with a best effort of 18.91m.
High jumper Raymond Richards achieved a stunning leap of 2.31m at the Queen's Grace Jackson Invitational on Saturday, January 25, 2025, which would have been the best height cleared by a Jamaican in almost two decades and a world-leading mark for the year. However, the performance will not be officially recognized by World Athletics due to the meet not being submitted to the World Athletics Global Calendar by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA).
Raymond Richards etched his name into the history books on Friday by winning Jamaica’s first medal at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China. The 23-year-old high jumper soared to a height of 2.28 metres to secure the bronze medal in a dramatic final.