CALI, Colombia – Brandon Pottinger claimed a historic high jump gold medal for Jamaica when he won the men’s event at the 19th World Under-20 Championships at the Pascual Guerrero Olympic Stadium in Cali, Colombia on Friday in a rain interrupted afternoon session.

The 18-year-old Pottinger, who has represented Jamaica at the CARIFTA level, cleared 2.14m and was the only man to clear the height following a rain break, moving from third to first.

There was a tie for second between South Africa’s gold medal favourite Brian Raats and Bulgaria’s Bozhidar Saraboyukov.

The Florida -based son of former Kingston College standout Marlon Pottinger, becomes the first Jamaican to win a high jump gold medal at a global championships, eclipsing the two medals won by the late Germaine Mason who won silver at the 2000 World Under -20 in Santiago, Chile and bronze two years later in Kingston.

Christoff Bryan was fourth at the World Under -20 in Eugene, Oregon in 2014, the same year when David Brown was also a finalist.

-Paul A. Reid