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Gayle soars to record mark at Gibson McCook Relays
February 25, 2025
With most attention centred around high school athletes at the 48th Gibson McCook Relays due to the upcoming ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships, the country's top senior athletes delivered strong performances both on and off the track.
In what is a crucial year for these athletes, with the World Indoor Championships slated for next month and the World Outdoor Championships set for September, several competitors made significant statements.
Undoubtedly, the standout performance came from the field events, as 2019 World Outdoor long jump champion Tajay Gayle etched his name in the record books.
The former MVP athlete, now guided by Kerrylee Ricketts at his Ricketts Performance Club based in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, recorded a winning leap of 8.34 metres to capture the men's long jump event. In doing so, he shattered the 2015 meet record of 7.95 metres, previously held by Nicholas Gordon.
His winning mark also ranks as the second-best jump in the world this season.
Gayle's training partner, Olympian Tissanna Hickling, also secured a victory in the field events, winning the women's long jump with a mark of 6.61 metres.
Ricketts expressed satisfaction with their performances.
"I feel elated about both performances from my athletes as it is a good start to the season for them. Both have aspirations of going to the World Indoor Championships next month, and they competed at the meet to gauge their current form. These were good markers for them moving forward," said Ricketts.
"Tissanna will compete again this weekend, while Tajay will return to training to continue his preparation," he added.
CLAYTON TWINS
On the track, both Clayton twin sisters, Tina and Tia, won their respective heats in the women's 60 metres, although their times were wind-aided.
Tina won her heat in 7.04 seconds, assisted by a positive wind of 2.2 metres per second. Tia, an Olympic Games 100m finalist, claimed victory in heat 2 in 7.02, aided by a positive wind of 2.6 metres per second. The sisters finished first and second overall.
Sashalee Forbes of SprinTec secured third place overall in 7.12 seconds, while Natasha Morrison of MVP was fourth in 7.14.
Following an injury-plagued season last year that curtailed his campaign, Julian Forte of Elite Performance began on a high note. He blazed to a personal best and meet record of 6.48 seconds to win the men's 60 metres, with Nishion Ebanks finishing second in 6.55 and Wolmer's schoolboy Gary Card clocking a personal best of 6.57 seconds for third.
National senior men's 400m record holder Rusheen McDonald of MVP was also in good form, posting a season-best 45.53 to win the men's 400m event. Another senior representative, Demish Gaye of SprinTec, finished third in 46.57 seconds.
Several senior athletes impressed in relay events, with SprinTec leading the way among the females. Their team, which included Forbes, Ashanti Moore, Mickael Moodie and Jodean Williams, sprinted to a meet record of 43.06 seconds to win the Women's Clubs and Institutions 4x100m relay ahead of UTech (43.73).
On the men's side, there were issues for Racers Track Club in the 4x100m relay, which featured Oblique Seville on the start and Zharnell Hughes on anchor, as they failed to finish.
Dynamic Speed, featuring Ackeem and Yohan Blake, claimed victory in 38.68 seconds, ahead of Elite Performance (39.53) and G.C. Foster Lions (39.66).
The men's 4x400m relay delivered a thrilling contest, featuring World champion Antonio Watson of Racers Track Club and world number three Zadrian Barnes of SprinTec on anchor.
Both treated the crowd to an exciting duel before the in-form Barnes prevailed, securing victory for his team in 3:06.78. Racers finished second in 3:07.72.
