A second-place finish in a season’s best time of 12.73secs in the women’s 100m hurdles final at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association National Championships last weekend ensured that Yanique Thompson fulfilled her dream of qualifying for the Olympic Games for the very first time.

The SprinTec Track Club athlete could not contain her excitement when she realised that she had punched her ticket to Tokyo last Sunday morning.

“First of all, I have to thank God. It’s been a rough journey and to be here, the feeling is amazing,” she said after the race.

Thompson revealed that moments before the race, she was experiencing some difficulties, but did her best to remain focused on the task at hand, knowing the prize at stake at the end of the obstacle race.

“Leading into the finals I started to feel some contractions and I tried to stay focused and not let it distract me. So, coming across the line without any injury, I am grateful and to be a part of the team and achieve my Olympic dream, I am super grateful,” she beamed.

It was a quality field of eight women who lined up for the final, including 2015 World Champion Danielle Williams, but Thompson was unperturbed by it all. She said that her preparation and faith is what got her into the top three in the end.

“With God, your confidence is priceless and for me I had such confidence it didn’t matter about the times coming in, because this is the most I have ever raced throughout the season and this is the most I have ever trained.

“Usually, I am out for half of the season and this year I have gotten in more training than I ever had, so that alone gave me confidence and I just came out here, put God first and just gave it my best.”

With the Tokyo Olympic Games set to start in just under three weeks, Thompson is eyeing one more target before she gets to the “Land of the Rising Sun”.

“I will nurse my injuries and try to get in as much competition as I can. I definitely want to get a personal best this year. So, I want to race competitively as much as I can, so I can better my time going into the Olympics.”

The 25-year-old also paid tribute to those who have been a part of her journey so far.

“I want to thank my mother, my father, my team SprinTec Track Club, my physio, everybody, anybody that has contributed to my success, I just want to say thank you.”

Thompson has previously represented Jamaica at the senior level at the 2017 World Championships and 2018 Commonwealth Games.