Jamaica’s track and field depth has once again shown its strength as Nikaoli Williams delivered a career-defining performance at the NACAC Championships in Freeport, Grand Bahama—soaring to a lifetime best of 8.16 meters to capture gold in the men’s long jump.
With national champion Carey McLeod opting out of the meet, Williams was handed an opportunity—and he seized it with both feet, quite literally. The 25-year-old not only filled the void, he extended his personal best from 8.13 meters to 8.16 meters, signaling his readiness to challenge for a spot on the team to Tokyo next month.
This performance now places Williams just shy of the 8.27-meter qualifying mark already attained by Carey McLeod and 2019 world champion Tajay Gayle. While the standard remains a hurdle, his latest leap places him firmly in the national conversation, with selectors now facing a tempting wildcard.
In the same event, Jamaica added to its medal haul as Shawn-D Thompson secured bronze with a mark of 7.87 meters, finishing behind American Will Williams, who took silver at 7.96 meters.
Golden Discus and Momentum on the Track
Samantha Hall brought further glory for Jamaica, dominating the women’s discus field with a 61.19-meter throw—comfortably ahead of her rivals. American Gabi Jacobs (57.07m) and Canada’s Julia Tunks (56.78m) settled for second and third, respectively. Hall’s consistent improvement this season has made her a legitimate contender in the regional throws scene.
On the track, Christopher Taylor advanced to the men’s 200-meter final after winning his heat in 20.49 seconds—leading all qualifiers despite running into a -1.4 m/s headwind. Kadrian Goldson also secured his spot in the final, posting 21.09 seconds for seventh overall.
In the women’s 200m heats, Gabrielle Matthews impressed with a heat win in 23.04 seconds—the second-fastest qualifying time overall—while Roniesha McGregor also made the cut, clocking 23.59 seconds despite tougher wind conditions.
