Jeremy Owen, Technical Director of Jamaica’s powerlifting team, believes their recent 15-medal haul at the 21st North American Regional Powerlifting Championships is a testament to the growth and development of athletes and, by extension, the sport locally.

In fact, Owen pointed to the mere fact that the country was able to field 13 athletes to the championships in Scottsdale, Arizona, as a massive achievement for the National Powerlifting Association of Jamaica (NPAJ) and one that augurs well for the future of the sport on the island.

Among the standout performances for the Jamaica Spartans at the event were Anna-Kay Brown, who won four bronze medals in the women's 84kg junior class, and three-time NAPF champion Sami DePass, who continued to assert her dominance in the women’s 76kg weight class, where she won four gold medals.

On the male side, Bruce Higgins was Jamaica’s first ever competitor in the male 120-plus kg class, and he too copped four medals—one silver and three bronze medals—while Scott Jennings, a former 83kg champion in 2022, moved up a class to 93kg and won two medals from his three lifts. Jennings holds the honour of being Jamaica's first powerlifter to secure a gold medal on the international platform.

Mikhail Russell, Cheyenne Campbell, Shrona Scott, Alexander Carrington, Nathan Dawkins, Ayana Duhaney, Tzari Saunders, Staffon Commock, and Algreg Sappleton, were the members of the team.

Reigning female champion Sami DePass.

“Jamaica did exceptionally well; for the first time in three years, we had more than three or four athletes. We had 13. Initially, there was going to be 14, but unfortunately, one athlete had to drop out at the last minute due to challenges with delays and cancellations of flights. We had four athletes who medalled, but we also had other athletes who came 5th, 6th, and 7th,” Owen told SportsMax.Tv.

“For us to have a delegation this large, it speaks to the resilience and hard work of the entire management, administration, and coaching team, all led by the president, Michael Blair, and it shows that there has been growth in the sport in Jamaica. So, going forward, we will continue to have a large delegation, which aids in the number of places that persons can aspire to in terms of the national program and, of course, in the never-ending quest to secure sponsorship,” he added.

Despite the highs of the medal tally and a large delegation, which included a doctor and physiotherapist, Shanice Bell, who was instrumental in ensuring that the athletes were in prime condition throughout, Owen said their charge towards success was not without its challenges.

“Number one would be the lack of support from the government in terms of sponsorship and also from the private sector. It's not for a lack of effort that we did not get sponsorship. The president has been steadfast in engaging the government and the Sports Development Foundation for sponsorship for the team, and many letters, conversations, and emails were had with various entities in the private sector, all to no avail,” Owen shared.

“Also, there was a significant challenge with weather systems. A group of us got stuck at Miami International Airport overnight for hours and then the next day, and this was a challenge. We also had another athlete who was supposed to travel three days prior to when she reached. Unfortunately, she arrived the night before she competed in the early morning, and this, I believe, affected her performance,” he noted.

Though the hunt to secure sponsors remains a headache, Owen believes the organization continues to push above its weight to foster and develop talent.

“The overall support for powerlifting within the fitness community in Jamaica has been good. We had our national meets, our national qualifiers, or what we call the series, and it has been well supported, and it continues to grow year-on-year. However, we are still not at a place where powerlifting is viewed as a major sport, despite the fact that powerlifting moves are at the core of all major sports. But it's growing, and we are pleased in terms of the rapid growth over the past few years,” Owen declared.

Technical Director Jeremy Owen (left) and President Michael Blair flanks athletes.

He continued: “We're going to use the opportunity, based on the success of the team, to continue to meet with and reach out to various entities and organizations in both the private and public sectors and see if we can get that support that we so desperately need to really grow the sport and maximize its potential. Also, we're looking forward to various inter-Caribbean competitions.

“We have been speaking to various bodies across the Caribbean to see if we can have our own championship and cup to help develop the sport, not only in Jamaica but in the Caribbean, so that we can really mount a challenge to the bigger countries, such as the US, Canada, and even the European countries, so we can get closer to that level. They have decades before us, but that is not stopping us from setting high targets that we intend to reach.”

That said, Owen expressed optimism that their achievements in Scottsdale will serve as a cornerstone for future success on the international stage.

“Our goal is to be a dominant force in the world of powerlifting. In order for us to do that, some time, effort, and resources now have to be invested in starting a sub-junior and junior program, as well as a master's program. So we have been doing what you call focusing on the open class. But in order for us to really have a solid foundation, we need the youngsters, and we need those that are of a mature age to really have an overall solid team, a solid base, where iron sharpens iron, as we like to say,” he ended.

Jamaican hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis set a new national record with a 71.83m throw at the USATF Throws Festival at the University of Arizona on Saturday.

Clunis, who represented Jamaica at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, broke the previous national record of 71.48m set back in 2016 by Daina Levy.

The 28-year-old started her series on Saturday with a 69.51m effort in the first round before producing 71.13m, 70.01m, 70.20m and 70.38m in the next four rounds.

She then uncorked her national record-breaking throw in the sixth and final round, finishing sixth overall in the competition.

Her best throw prior to Saturday was 71.18m done in Canada last year.

American Brooke Andersen threw 79.92m to win and was followed by China’s Jie Zhao (74.10m) and American Annette Echikunwoke (73.80m).

Elsewhere, 2019 World Championship silver medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd threw 18.87m to win the women’s shot put ahead of Americans Adelaide Aquilla (18.47m) and Jessica Ramsey (18.34m).

Rajindra Campbell threw 21.69m for second in the men’s equivalent behind American Payton Otterdahl (22.41m). Mexico’s Uziel Munoz threw 21.68m for third.

The men’s discus throw saw 2019 World Championship runner-up Fedrick Dacres produce 64.07m for third behind the American pair Reggie Jagers (64.25m) and Joseph Brown (64.57m).

Shadae Lawrence’s second-place finish in the discus at the USATF Throws Fest in Arizona on Saturday was the second time she had lost in competition this season but it was perhaps her most significant achievement.

It took a world-leading throw of 70.22m from Dutchwoman Jorinde van Klinken to defeat the 25-year-old Jamaican, who achieved an important milestone of her own. Her fourth throw of 65.47m and fifth of 67.05m meant that she broke her own national record of 65.05 twice, and even more important, it was an indication that she was getting closer to her ultimate goal for this season.

“I was very happy to see those numbers. I really wanted to perform well at that meet. I was happy I could put it together and get the job done. I want to make my personal dream of being an Olympic finalist come true,” she said, explaining that the records, at this point in time, mean little by comparison.

“My only goal for the season is to make top 8 at the Olympics. I know this a great achievement (the national record) and I’m thankful but this wasn’t a goal of mine.”

The simple fact is that for Lawrence and her coach Julian Robinson the new milestone was not surprising but the immediate future is more about achieving the aforementioned goal and that for that to be accomplished, there is much work still left to be done. Robinson is under no illusions. He knows what needs to get done.

 “No, it wasn’t a surprise. Physically, I think she has the ability to produce those distances. However, she lacks the consistency and this is so for several reasons; her technique is not yet stable and she needs more exposure competing at the elite level or close to that,” he said.

Lawrence started the season with a win at the USF Bulls Invitational in Florida on March 20, throwing 63.75m, which surpassed the Olympic qualifying standard of 63.50m. She followed up with another win at the Florida State Relays on March 26 when she threw 62.88m.

After that, her performances dipped even though she kept winning. Throws of 57.76m and 57.86m resulted in victories at the USATF Sprint Summit on April 3 and at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, on April 16.

Two weeks later, she was second at the North Florida Invitational where she threw 58.66m before her big throws in Tucson last weekend.

The performances represented were the low-hanging fruit that she has been able to reach since she began working with Robinson in late 2019 with bigger goals in mind.

“I train really hard. My biggest aim for this season, physically, was to get stronger,” she said. “The past few years throwing, I wasn’t strong and I was throwing decent. I knew if I could get my strength to a certain level, I could be more consistent. So every time I get into the gym I’m pushing myself.”

She believes that she can get even stronger and be a lot more consistent with throws well above 60m in the weeks she has left before the Olympic Games this summer.

“If I consistently push myself I will get stronger. I already have that mentality so once I’m healthy I will be in the best shape physically for the Games,” she explained.

“I think to be able to throw consistently you must attack your training that way. For me, I just need to train consistently. Be consistent with my gym, plyometric work, working on technical aspects of the throw. That’s how consistency comes about.”

With that goal met, she fancies the possibility of springing a surprise in Tokyo; just like she did on Saturday, produce a throw that she never has managed to deliver before but one that could produce a record that will be more meaningful.

 “If I execute the way I’m preparing to physically and mentally then anything can happen,” she said.

“The Olympic Games isn’t a walkover, no major championship is. My aim is to fearlessly execute all my throws. Before the beginning of the season, my aim was the Olympics. I told myself it doesn’t matter how I compete throughout the season; I need to get it done starting July 31st.”

July 31 is the day of the qualifying round of the women’s discus.

Shadae Lawrence, Jamaica women’s national record holder in the discus, shattered the record twice on her way to a second-place finish at the USATF Throws Festival at the University of Arizona on Saturday evening.

Fedrick Dacres, the 2019 World Championship discus silver medalist said he is not satisfied but thankful following his season-best throw that earned him victory at the 2021 Tucson Elite Classic in Arizona on Thursday.