Jordan Scott became the first Jamaican to win the men’s triple jump at the Commonwealth Games, claiming gold with a wind-assisted 16.72m (2.3m/s) at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday.

Five months after winning Jamaica’s first senior global medal in the event with silver at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, Scott overcame a recent hamstring injury to add Commonwealth gold to his growing list of achievements.

Scott, who finished fifth at the Birmingham Games four years ago, was joined on the podium by India’s Praveen Chithravel, who took silver with 16.58m (1.0m/s), and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran, who claimed bronze with 16.52m (1.7m/s).

Scott admitted he knew history was within reach when he arrived in Scotland.

“To be honest, I didn’t realise until World Indoors that we hadn’t medalled in the event before at any meet, so it was definitely a major goal of mine coming into the meet and the reason I pushed as hard as I did to even compete to begin with,” he said.

Jamaica’s Fedrick Dacres competes in the men’s discus throw final. (Photo: AFP)

The 27-year-old said the victory was especially satisfying after a hamstring injury disrupted his preparations.

“A great feeling all things considered, picked up a right hamstring injury two weeks ago that had me out of training for about two weeks so I didn’t really get back into things until arriving here in Glasgow, hence the shorter approach and jumping from the opposite leg,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “I definitely had big goals for this competition, but coming away with the win after everything is enough for me.”

Scott said standing atop the podium while the Jamaican national anthem played was a moment he will never forget.

“It’s amazing, words can’t describe the feeling! Grateful to have experienced it for the first time and praying that I’ll have many more opportunities.”

Jamaica capped the athletics programme with six medals on Saturday, including five gold, to finish second on the medal table with 18 medals — 10 gold, three silver, and five bronze. Australia topped the standings with 33 medals (11 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze), while England were third with 20 medals, including six gold.

Dejanae Oakley added Jamaica’s fourth Commonwealth Games women’s 400m title, running away from defending champion Sada Williams over the final 200 metres to win in 50.21 seconds. Williams took silver in 50.99 seconds, while Nigeria’s Ella Onojuvwevwo claimed bronze in 51.00.

Jamaica’s Ackelia Smith cuts the sand in the women’s long jump final (Photo: AFP)

Navasky Anderson also created history, becoming the first Jamaican to win the men’s 800m Commonwealth Games title and the country’s first medallist in the event since Seymour Newman won silver in 1978. Anderson timed his race to perfection, surging clear over the final 60 metres to win in 1:45.33 ahead of Australia’s Luke Boyes (1:45.93) and Kenya’s Wyclife Kinyamal (1:46.12). He was also the first non-African winner since Steve Cram in 1986.

Oakley returned to anchor Jamaica’s mixed 4x400m relay team from fifth place at the final exchange to victory with a superb 48.67-second split. The quartet of Zandrion Barnes, Leah Anderson, Delano Kennedy and Oakley, who replaced Shanna-Kay Anderson from the heats, clocked 3:10.97 to beat England (3:11.58) and Nigeria (3:12.85).

Jamaica’s women’s 4x100m relay team successfully defended the title won four years ago. Alana Reid, Jodean Williams, Levanya Williams, and Ashanti Moore combined to clock 42.65 seconds, holding off Canada (42.76) and Trinidad and Tobago (43.07).

Fedrick Dacres added a silver medal in the men’s discus with 65.10m as Australia’s Matthew Denny retained his title with 67.73m. Lawrence Okoye of England took bronze with 64.45m, while national champion Ralford Mullings finished fifth with 62.85m.

Ackelia Smith, who won silver in the women’s triple jump earlier in the championships, placed eighth in the long jump with 6.52m (1.1m/s). Zandrion Barnes finished seventh in the men’s 400m in 45.68 seconds, while Jamaica’s men’s 4x100m relay team of Ackeem Blake, Rohan Watson, Christopher Taylor, and Jerome Campbell placed seventh in 39.07 seconds.