Trials to display Jamaica’s discus strength

ONE OF the events garnering a lot of attention ahead of the National Senior Championships, to be held at the National Stadium in two weeks’ time, is the men’s discus.

The attention surrounds the trio of Fedrick Dacres, Traves Smikle, and Roje Stona, who are all expected to produce phenomenal competition.

The three have already attained the qualifying standard of 67.20 metres for this summer’s Budapest World Athletics Championships, with Stona’s 68.64 leading the pack.

Competing at the South East Conference (SEC) Championships for the University of Arkansas in Baton Rouge in May, Stona’s hurl put him at number six on the World Athletics top list. He recently finished second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin, Texas, and could be on his way to his first National Senior title.

Dacres has, undoubtedly, been the best Jamaican in the event, with a personal best and national record of 70.78 metres. The 2019 World Championships silver medallist has been plagued with injuries over the past few years, but recently, he showed that he is getting back to his best with a winning throw of 68.57 metres in Tucson, Arizona. The throw put him seventh in the world.

In Arizona, Dacres threw over 67 metres at every opportunity with marks of 67.84, 68.27 and his winning mark of 68.57 metres.

Dacres’ training partner, Smikle, has thrown 68.14 metres this season, putting him at number nine in the world. He cannot be counted out of the national title race.