KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Stadium witnessed spectacular athletic performances during Tuesday’s qualifying rounds for the Class 2 boys long jump event at the prestigious ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships. Three standout jumpers secured their places in Wednesday’s final with impressive first-attempt clearances that demonstrated both technical prowess and competitive efficiency.
Talshawn Edwards of Calabar High emerged as the top qualifier, launching himself to a wind-assisted 6.90 meters (with a tailwind of 2.1m/s) that immediately established him as the athlete to beat in the upcoming final. Close behind, Cornwall College’s Zhi-Hew Whitter, who previously claimed gold at the COCAA Western Championships, recorded a solid jump of 6.68 meters (0.5m/s wind) to automatically advance.
The qualification round saw intense competition as Kingston College’s Odane Noble secured his final berth with a 6.55-meter leap, comfortably exceeding the automatic qualifying standard of 6.50 meters. However, Noble’s performance placed him fourth overall after St Jago High’s Winaldo Faulknor delivered a clutch third-attempt jump of 6.58 meters (0.9m/s wind), demonstrating the dramatic nature of the competition.
Additional athletes earning spots in Wednesday’s championship final included Shamar Shaw (Calabar High) with 6.47m, Omari Gordon (Wolmer’s Boys) at 6.44m, alongside Akeem Freeman (Manchester High) and Leonardo Green (St Jago High), both recording identical marks of 6.36 meters. The diverse representation from multiple Jamaican high schools sets the stage for an electrifying final showdown that will crown the nation’s top junior long jump talent.