National weightlifter Omarie Mears has been preparing for the final push to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris. Based in London, Mears is set to participate in the last Olympic qualifiers for the year, to be held in Thailand from April 1 to 12.

Competing in the men’s 81kg category, Mears finished sixth at the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Games in El Salvador and 16th in the Pan American Games in Chile in 2023. Mears expressed confidence going into Thailand, stating that he is well aware of what he needs to do to secure his spot for the Olympic Games in Paris.

“My next competition will be in five weeks, and so far, I have completed four of the qualifying meets,” he said. “Now, this is the final event for the year, and I am aiming for a big total to further improve my standing and solidify a more secure qualifying slot.

“I am quite confident going into Thailand because things have been going well for me, and since the Pan Am Games, I have had four months of training, working hard, and looking forward to increasing my total to secure a spot in the Olympic Games.”

With only one country from each continent qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games, Mears holds the 40th rank globally.

“Currently, I am around mid-table but can still get selected through a partide selection or by being in the process of moving up in the table and securing an automatic selection for the Olympic Games,” he said. “I will be competing in the men’s 81kg category, which can carry points up to the men’s 89kg class.”

Mears, 30, became the country’s first weightlifter in more than 30 years to compete at the Commonwealth Games in 2022, participating in the men’s 81kg class.

Expressing confidence for the qualifiers in Thailand, Mears highlighted his strong performance at the Pan American Games.

“I finished 16th at the Pan Am Games, which was significant for Jamaica as it was the first time the country competed in the Games in many years. I believe we are leading in the Caribbean for weightlifting,” he said.

Mears credited the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) for aiding his Olympic-qualifying journey.

“I have been selected by the Jamaica Olympic Association for financial support to attend some of these competitions,” he said. “During this Olympic qualifying process, which is a short time, there have been a number of compulsory competitions that I have to attend. With the assistance of the JOA, I have been able to participate in these competitions, and I am very happy and grateful for their support.”