KINGSTON, Jamaica — Former Jamaica long jumper Wayne Pinnock has broken his silence to confirm he has switched national allegiance to represent Turkiye after winning the men’s long jump at Saturday’s Diamond League meeting at the Olympic Stadium in London.

Pinnock, who has won silver medals at the World Athletics Championships, Olympic Games and World Indoor Championships, won with 8.20m (0.2m/s) on Saturday, just edging World and Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece-8.19m (0.9m/s) and said he was focussed on winning the Diamond League title.

“I am really focusing on the Diamond League finals this year as I will not be in Tokyo because I have changed allegiance to Turkey. So I will go back home and fix what needs fixing and come back stronger,” he said afterwards.

Pinnock is one of four Jamaican athletes, including fellow jumper Jaydon Hibbert and throwers Roje Stona and Rajindra Campbell who made the switch earlier this year.

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Jamaican national champion Carey McLeod was third with 8.10m (0.2m/s), moving up from fifth on his final jump.

Pinnock also said: “It has been a really hard season for me. We know what winning feels like and how it feels to be on top, so I just came out here to execute. To be on top, and defeat Tentoglou — who is a really good jumper — was brilliant today. When it comes to the hard conditions like today, I know how to execute properly. I am just grateful to God for giving me my second Diamond League win.”

— Paul Reid