Jamaica’s world-renowned 100 and 200 metres record holder Usain Bolt has congratulated the island’s first gold medal winner at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday.

In a Twitter

post, Bolt said: “Congrats on your gold Tajay Gayle #TeamJamaica all day every

day #Doha2019.”

Gayle produced a national record of 8.69 metres on his fourth jump in the final to win the island’s first gold at the championships after he had leapt 8.46 with his first jump to take the lead. Those were the two best jumps in the final.

It was the

first time that a Jamaican had won the gold medal in the long jump, as James

Beckford had finished second and collected the silver medal on two occasions.

The 8.69 metres was also the 10th best jump of all time.

Gayle fouled

his second and third attempts and did not attempt the fifth and sixth attempts.

Jeff

Henderson of the United States of America was second with 8.39 metres while

favourite Juan Echeverria of Cuba was third with 8.34 metres.

This is the first World Championships without Bolt since Osaka in 2007 during which he won 11 gold medals, two silver and one bronze.

He set the

world records of 9.58 seconds in the 100 metres and 19.19 in the 200 metres at

the World Championships in Berlin, Germany, in 2009.