TOKYO, Japan — Lamara Distin cut a frustrated figure on Thursday after failing to clear her opening height of 1.83m in the women’s high jump qualifying round at the World Athletics Championships, marking the first time in her career she has registered a no-height at a major championship.

Distin, the Commonwealth Games champion, admitted that the result was difficult to process but pointed to a challenging season of transition as a factor in her struggles.

“That was trash,” she said bluntly. “I’ve never had no height at a major championship but this season has been rough. Going from the collegiate system to the professional level, there’s a lot of changes and stuff so it has been hard, and training has not been going the way I’ve wanted it to. So I’m literally playing catch-up right now and today I just didn’t have enough. Now I have to move on from this.”

The 25-year-old, who has made the final in her previous two World Championships appearances in Oregon and Budapest, admitted the experience was crushing but also expressed optimism about her future.

“I’ve made it to the final at the two World Champs I’ve been to, so to come here and not even clear a bar, that’s devastating,” Distin noted. “But I know there are greater things ahead, so I’m not too mad about it. I know that next year is going to be better. There are a lot of changes that will take place and I’m happy about that.”

The Jamaican standout was particularly surprised by her inability to manage a height she would normally clear with ease.

“1.83m… I don’t even know what to say because that height is something I’d usually clear from a short approach, and to not clear it from a long approach; I don’t even know,” she admitted.

Acknowledging that her struggles were not only physical but also mental, Distin stressed the importance of regaining her psychological edge.

“I just have to get back mentally strong,” she said. “The way the season was going, I am mentally drained, so I just need to work on getting back some mental strength because you can see that it’s drowning my performance. So it’s just to be mentally strong going forward.”