Jamaican track and field circles witnessed an extraordinary display of athletic prowess as Saint Lucian thrower Denzel Philips demolished his own national record not once, but twice during the McKenley/Wint Track & Field Classic 2026 on January 24. The Jamaica College senior achieved this remarkable feat at Calabar High School Sports Complex in Kingston, Jamaica, demonstrating unprecedented growth in the under-20 men’s shot put discipline.
Competing in the Boys Class 1 final, Philips launched the six-kilogram shot put to an impressive 17.17 meters on his fourth attempt, securing fifth position against world-class competition. This monumental throw places him among the global top ten athletes in his category for 2026. Notably, his third attempt of 16.84 meters had already surpassed his previous week’s national junior record of 16.33 meters, making this the second time in seven days that he rewrote Saint Lucia’s athletic history.
The event was dominated by Javontae Smith’s winning throw of 18.78 meters, with Kamari Kennedy claiming second place at 18.65 meters. Despite finishing fifth, Philips’ performance captured significant attention due to his rapid improvement and technical mastery.
Rajive Ford, Philips’ coach at Jamaica College, expressed unwavering confidence in his protege’s potential. In an exclusive statement to St. Lucia Times, Ford outlined ambitious targets for the young athlete: ‘We are hopeful that he will achieve qualifying distances for both shot put and discus throw to compete at the World U-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon this August. These require 18.30 meters in shot put and 56 meters in discus.’
Ford emphasized Philips’ psychological transformation as the key factor behind his recent successes. ‘The most significant change in his final junior year is his confidence,’ Ford observed. ‘Denzel has developed genuine self-belief that manifests in every training session and competition attempt.’
The coach revealed that Philips has demonstrated natural throwing aptitude since beginning the sport, noting his successful transition from U17 to U20 categories as evidence of his exceptional potential. While currently excelling in shot put, Ford believes Philips’ true specialty lies in discus throwing and anticipates further breakthroughs in coming weeks.
Training alongside world-class competitors weekly, Philips represents the promising future of Saint Lucian athletics. Despite already holding two national junior records and one senior record, both athlete and coach maintain that his most impressive achievements still lie ahead.