KINGSTON, Jamaica — Shawn-D Thompson snatched a spot on the Jamaican team to the Paris Olympic Games after he produced a massive personal best 8.30m (-0.2m/s) effort in the final round of the men’s long jump on Saturday at the JAAA National Championships at the National Stadium.

Thompson, whose previous best was 8.13m in 2019 and had a season’s best 7.93m, placed second behind winner Carey McLeod-8.38m (0.1m/s) and ahead of third placed Wayne Pinnock- 8.27m (1.1m/s), knocking national record holder and two-time World Championships medallist Tajay Gayle out of contention.

Gayle led Thompson with 8.11m to 8.08m going into the final round before Thompson exploded with the jump of his life. However, the latter was forced to wait as the effort was first ruled a foul before it was changed.

Pinnock, who won the silver medal at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary last year; Gayle, who won the bronze; and McLeod who was fourth; were the three Jamaican men who had the qualifying mark of 8.27m for the Olympics coming into the championships.

-Paul A Reid