On Sunday’s final day of the 17th IAAF World Under-20 championships, Jamaica’s first ever 110m hurdles gold medallist Damion Thomas was strutting around the Tampere Stadium in Finland with his medal proudly displayed, three full days after he won the medal.

Thomas, who is also the joint World Junior Record holder in the event after he ran 12.99 seconds to win the event at the JAAA National Junior Championships in June, described this past season as his best ever, and the gold medal was a major part.

“This is the biggest thing for me all year… this is what I circled on my calendar from when I started training in the fall for the World Under-20, so to come out with a victory, a gold medal, this is icing on the cake and my best ever season,” he said.

The Louisiana State University student, who was second at the NCAA Division One Outdoors Championships in June, said despite the setbacks that affected the Jamaican team, he was proud of what they had achieved in Finland.

Jamaica won a record 12 medals, including four gold medals, the most the island had ever earned at a single staging.

“Even with the setbacks, this team was very strong. I knew coming in that this is one of the best teams we have ever had and we delivered what was expected,” he said.

Despite losing a number of their top runners, the men’s 4x100m won silver in a National Junior Record 38.96 seconds, and Thomas said he was ready to step up had he been asked to run by coaches.

“Of course, I would be ready to run if they asked me. I was ready to do anything to help us win medals and if they wanted me, I would have gone out there,” he said.

Nothing, he said, would take away from the great season he had.

“My season was amazing… this is a world meet, and for me winning a gold medal, it means I will have more confidence going into my next college season and it will make me stronger,” Thomas ended.