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Gayle fights through hamstring issues to claim silver
September 18, 2025
A sore hamstring could not prevent Jamaica's Tajay Gayle from winning silver in the final of the men's long jump.
Gayle, with a season best 8.34 metres, finished second in yesterday's final at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships, on Day 5, at the Japan National Stadium.
Italy's Mattia Furlani took the gold medal with a personal best 8.39m, while China's Yuhao Shi was third with 8.33m.
Nikaoli Williams, the other Jamaican in the final, finished ninth with a best effort of 7.85m.
Gayle had opened his series with a massive jump of 8.33m, which saw him leading the pack for most of the competition. He would improve to 8.34m on his fourth attempt.
However, Furlani would snatch the win with his fifth attempt, leaping to the winning mark of 8.39m.
"Being on the podium, honestly, is a very good feeling," he said after his event. "I was hoping for the gold, really, but unfortunately, my hamstring wasn't giving me much today.
"I tried my best to try to get in the first jump, but I knew after that I didn't have much to offer because my hamstring was really cramping up and it's a very sore hamstring from since the prelims."
The silver medal added to Gayle's growing international repertoire, as it joins his World Championships gold medal from 2019 and his bronze medal from 2023.
"I tried my best," he said. "I've won three medals, so I can't complain. What would I be complaining about, I've won three medals."
The result also brings Jamaica's medal tally up to six; one gold, four silver and one bronze.
STAR OF THE SHOW
In the men's 200m, Jamaica's Bryan Levell was the star of the show, registering an easy 19.84, after shutting down metres ahead of the finish and crossing the line at a near walk.
"I just wanted to execute a good bend and then I wouldn't have to do too much in the straight," he explained. "I just relaxed after coming off of the bend and (I) don't put limits on myself, so I was surprised by the time. I thought I'd run around 21.00."
Jamaica will field all three competitors in the men's 200m as Adrian Kerr, 20.13, and Christopher Taylor, 20.26, also qualified.
In the women's equivalent, defending World champion Shericka Jackson (22.33) and Ashanti Moore (22.57) both booked their spots to the next round, while Gabrielle Matthews (23.40) fell short of the mark.
Jordan Scott, Jamaica's only competitor in the men's triple jump, advanced to the final in comfortable fashion, leaping to 17.19m to move on as an automatic qualifier.
In the women's 400m hurdles final, Shiann Salmon will be the lone Jamaican in the race as she advanced from the semi-finals, with Andrenette Knight missing the mark.
The men's equivalent, however, will be without Jamaican representation as Roshawn Clarke, 48.37, and Malik James-King, 48.01, failed to advance.
