Romaine Beckford created history at the Stade de France in Paris on Wednesday morning when he became the first Jamaican man to qualify for the high jump final at the Olympic Games.

Despite failing to equal his lifetime best 2.27m, Beckford, who had cleared 2.24m on his first attempt, was third in his group and eighth overall as only five men, including joint defending champion Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, got over 2.27m.

Romaine Beckford of Jamaica reacts after competing in the high jump at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Beckford, who was the first Jamaican man to compete in the high jump at the Olympics since Desmond Morris in 1980 and 1984, had just one failure over his first three bars, clearing 2.15m on the first try. He got over 2.20m on his second attempt and cleared 2.24m the first time.

He finished behind Commonwealth Games champion Hamish Kerr of New Zealand and joint defending champion Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy in his group.

The first Jamaican to make the men’s high jump final was Ernle Haisley, who placed 15th with 1.96m in Melbourne in 1956 when 22 men contested the final.

-Paul A Reid