TOKYO, Japan — It has already been a year of firsts for Jamaican discus thrower Samantha Hall but the 32-year-old former St Jago student has her eyes set on more success at the World Athletics Championships here.

This year she went over 64m for the first time, recording a personal best of 64.97m in July. She also won her first international gold medal, adding the NACAC Championships title to a Pan American bronze she secured in 2023.

Hall also made her first final in what is her fourth appearance at a major global championship following early exits in Eugene, Budapest and Paris — the result of her two biggest throws at this level, with both coming when she needed them most.

“I just had to make it to the final. It’s my third World Championships and I knew I had to make the final — and that’s what I did,” Hall told the Sunday Observer.

She will return to the ring for the women’s discus final on Sunday at 7:12 pm (5:12 am Jamaica time) and is clear about what she wants to achieve.

“Here in Tokyo I really want to be in the top six; I definitely want to be in the top three and get my first medal — that will be my big goal — but being in the final top six is the first target,” Hall shared.

After fouling on her first attempt with a release that veered too far to the right, Hall managed to compose herself to get a mark on the board on her second time in the ring — a 60.20m measurement that placed her in 14th overall and outside of the final.

She produced her biggest throw of the day on her last chance, dropping the disc 63.32m in the dead centre of the sector to qualify 10th overall. And she knows exactly who she needs to thank for the improvements throughout her series.

“I have to give thanks to my Coach Rajindra Campbell. He is the one who took me under his wings after the Paris Olympic Games. He said that he believed in me and that our goal was to make the final, so I really couldn’t disappoint him,” said Hall in relation to the 2024 Olympic shot put bronze medallist who has since transferred his allegiance to Turkiye.

“He put a lot of work into this. I already knew what to do [as] it’s my third World Championships — I knew I had to make the final and that’s what I did,” Hall shared.

She also credited Marlon Gayle and Julian Robinson, members of Jamaica’s coaching staff here, for the work done with her during the training camp.

“Yes Rajindra was in the stands but I want to give a shout out to two other coaches. Mr Marlon Gayle and Julian Robinson have been working with me throughout camp so I want to give thanks to all three of them for being here,” a grateful Hall said.

Hal says her coach’s presence played a big part in helping her to settle into a rhythm and ultimately deliver the throws she needed to deliver.

“On each attempt, from the first one, I was just thinking to get one over the 64m mark but I guess I was just too nervous. Before my third throw I was able to see Rajindra, which was a surprise to me, and seeing him made me feel calm and confident and he was able to remind me what to do: Just slow it down, execute, and get it out there,” she said.

As she enters today’s medal round there is no doubt that the Jamaican will be praying for another big first in her career.