Reigning World Championships long jump gold medallist Tajay Gayle was made to work hard to cop his second National title during yesterday’s penultimate session of the four-day Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Ministry of Heath/Supreme Ventures National Championships inside the National Stadium.

Gayle, who leapt 8.69m to upset the apple-cart and win gold inside the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, at the World Championships 2019, was pushed all the way by fellow qualifier Carey McLeod of the University of Tennessee.

The MVP athlete regained the lead with 8.22m on his penultimate jump after McLeod had surpassed his 8.03m lead early on. McLeod increased his best to 8.14m (-0.3 mps), but the second-ranked jumper in the world proved too strong in the end to increase his mark to 8.23m (0.6 mps) on his final attempt.

But, despite jumping under the 8.22m Olympic qualifying standard on the night, McLeod has already attained the mark, like he had done in the triple jump prior to finishing third at the meet on Friday.

In the women’s triple jump, Shanieka Ricketts duly romped to her third National title when she brushed aside Kimberly Williams in the final. Ricketts landed at 14.46m (-0.9 mps) in a dominant performance with Williams second with 14.19m (-1.3 mps).

Danniel Thomas-Dodd also made easy work of the competition in the women’s shot put when she threw 18.51m to win comfortably ahead of Lloydricia Cameron with 18.05m.

It was Thomas-Dodd’s sixth National shot put title. The good news for Cameron is that her 18.05m has her ranked at 31st in the world and within the World ranking quota of 32. The qualification period for the Olympic Games closes tomorrow.

The women’s 800m final was won by Natoya Goule-Toppin for her eighth National title in a season’s best 1:57.84 minutes, the fastest she has ever run in Jamaica. She will be Jamaica’s lone competitor in the two-lap event, as on the men’s side Edwin Allen schoolboy Chevonne Hall led for every inch of the distance to win in 1:48.73 minutes, some way off the Olympic qualifying standard of 1:45.20 minutes.

Fedrick Dacres won his fifth National title after throwing 64.31m in the discus to place ahead of Kai Chang with 62.68m and Chad Wright with 62.52m. Wright has attained the qualifying mark, but Chang remains on the outside looking in.

Lamara Distin of Texas A & M, as expected, won the high jump with a personal best 1.90m ahead of Kimberly Williamson, who cleared the bar at 1.85m.

However, Distin’s best was below the Olympic standard and ranks her outside the world’s top 32, in 36th place, but there remains a slim possibility that she could get in the final 32, based on final calculations.

On the men’s side, Raymond Richards took top honours with 2.15m ahead of Lushane Wilson with a best clearance of 2.10m. However, none of them entered the reckoning as they were well below the Olympic qualifying standard of 2.33m.

The women’s hammer throw was won by Erica Belvit with 66.37m, well off the 72.50m required to make the entry list.

Stephenie Ann McPherson was the fastest qualifier from the women’s 400m semi-finals with 50.18 seconds. Accompanying her to today’s final are Stacey Ann Williams (50.84), Roneisha McGregor (50.97), Candice McLeod (51.04secs), Tovea Jenkins (51.72secs), Charokee Young (51.40secs), Tiffany James (51.77secs), and Junelle Bromfield (51.78secs).

Christopher Taylor was the fastest qualifier in the men’s section. He clocked 45.31secs and will be joined by Karayme Bartley (45.40secs), Rusheen McDonald (46.03secs), Jamaica College schoolboy Javier Brown (46.07secs), Sean Bailey (45.42secs), Demish Gaye (45.83secs), Keeno Burrell (46.14secs), and Nathon Allen (46.17secs).

Shericka Jackson, who finished second in the 100m on Friday night, proved the fastest qualifier from the women’s 200m semi-finals with 22.28secs.

Also making progress to today’s final are Elaine Thompson-Herah (22.90secs), Briana Williams (23.48secs), Ashanti Moore (22.86secs), Natalliah Whyte (23.15secs), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (22.40secs), Natasha Morrison (23.08secs), and Kevona Davis (23.20secs).

Julian Forte was the quickest qualifier from the men’s 200m semi-finals after posting 20.22secs, followed by Yohan Blake (20.29secs), Tyquendo Tracey, the 100m National champion from Friday night, is next with 20.38secs, Rasheed Dwyer (20.30secs), Nigel Ellis (20.41secs), Romario Williams (20.76secs), Jevaughn Minzie (20.43secs), and boys’ championships 200m champion Antonio Watson (20.53secs).

Britany Anderson of Tumbleweed Track Club was the best qualifier in the women’s 100m hurdles with 12.65secs.

Megan Tapper (12.86secs), Danielle Williams (12.70secs), Yanique Thompson (12.73secs), Daszay Freeman (12.82secs), Ackera Nugent (12.78secs), Shimayra Williams (12.87secs), and Jeanine Williams (13.04secs) join her in today’s final.

The men’s section saw reigning Olympic gold medallist Omar McLeod leading all comers into today’s final with 13.04secs. Accompanying him from semi-final one were Ronald Levy (13.08secs), Olando Bennett (13.49secs), Andrew Riley (13.65secs), and Jordani Woodley (13.93secs).

From the second semis, Hansle Parchment advanced with a season’s best 13.19secs, along with Phillip Lemonious (13.21secs) and Damion Thomas (13.27secs).

The four-day championships close out today with the men’s shot put, women’s 100m hurdles final, men’s110m hurdles final, women’s and men’s 200m finals, women’s and men’s 400m finals, and the women’s 3000m final.

Today’s schedule begins at 8:40 am and ends at 9:55 am.