Jamaica is facing a tough spot right now! Known for producing sprinting legends like Usain Bolt, Shericka Jackson, Shelly-Ann Fraser, and Junelle Bromfield, the island nation is currently grappling with a setback in the field events. Shot put thrower Danniel Thomas-Dodd had a close call at the Paris Olympics, falling just short of the finals. On a day of surprises, where only three women managed to clear the automatic qualifying mark of 19.15 meters, Thomas-Dodd narrowly missed the cut.

Thomas-Dodd, a seasoned competitor and World Championships medalist placed 13th with a throw of 18.12 m, just 0.04 m shy of the top 12. Despite their strong efforts, the Jamaicans were unable to make it to the final round. After the race, Thomas shared her struggles in the Olympic Village, expressing frustration with the Jamaican Olympic Association and the Jamaican Athletics Administrative Association for denying her coach, Shane Dodd, a credential. She hasn’t seen him for 2.5 weeks, which has significantly affected her performance.

In a recent post by Chris Chavez on X, Thomas captured her emotions: “This summer was definitely something I felt was easy for me to do; however, I didn’t have my coach here. I’ve been in the village for 2 ½ weeks, and I was denied the privilege of my coach even being at the training facilities for 2 ½ weeks. So, we’re talking about 365 days of training just gone down the drain because I didn’t have my coach for two and a half weeks while being here.”

Thomas’s statement reveals the deep frustration and impact of this situation on her mental health. She added, “It is definitely very frustrating, and I think it’s something that I definitely have to see time reflect on and moving forward, as to what will be definitely best for me and my mental health because I can’t do this anymore.” This highlights the urgent need for changes that address both her professional and personal well-being.

Thomas expressed her frustration, saying, “It’s very frustrating dealing with goal and job threats because these people don’t care about Filipinos in Jamaica. If they did, they would make sure that we have everything we need to make us comfortable because my coach is not just a part of my training process; he’s a very crucial part of my warm-up and getting ready for preparations. I didn’t have him for 2 ½ weeks, which is very frustrating. Cause this is something that I’m more than capable of obtaining. And I came short today.”

Updated at 22:44, on August 8: Hours after expressing frustration, Thomas found herself at the center of scrutiny when a video shared on X by the Track and Field Gazette raised doubts about her honesty regarding her Paris Olympics performance. The authorities asked about the controversy to Jamaican authorities. They responded, stating, “wow wow you’re putting that together as we speak I just came Wow. You’re piecing that together as we speak. I suspect we’re going to see more of this due to the performance—or lack of performance—in Paris. I suspect there are several other stories to be told about what is really happening. I’ve heard more, but I’m not ready to disclose it yet.”

Now, it seems Thomas has a supporter in legendary Jamaican sprinter Warren Weir. He took to X to voice his frustration, stating, “F**k it, I’m sick of JAAA now. Documents coming out soon.” However, she also notes how Jamaica’s dominance has shifted from the track events to the field events.

Jamaica is making waves at the Paris Olympics

Thomas reflected on the irony of Jamaica’s success in field events while her own performance was hindered by these issues. The focus on field events, which are a strong area for Jamaica, contrasts sharply with her situation. Thomas stressed the need to reflect on these challenges and consider the broader implications for her and Jamaican athletics moving forward. Well, looking at Thomas-Dodd, she made history as the first Jamaican woman to win a throwing medal at a global event, earning silver at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.

At Paris 2024, Jamaica has already secured five medals, with four coming from field events. Despite the country’s storied history in sprinting, including events like the 100m, 200m, and 400m, no gold medal has been won in these disciplines this time around. Instead, field events have taken the spotlight.

• Gold was won by Roje Stona in the discus throw
• Wayne Pinnock secured silver in the men’s jump.
• Shanieka Ricketts claimed silver in the women’s jump.
• Rajindra Campbell earned bronze in the men’s shot put event.

Notably, Roje Stona, clinching gold in the discus throw, set a new Olympic record with a throw of 70.00 meters, surpassing Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna’s previous record of 69.97 meters. Even Stona says after the race, “Jamaica should be proud right now,” Stona said. “Field events are taking a step in the right direction now. We’re doing good. We’re getting medals.” However, let’s see what the future holds for Jamaica at the Paris Olympics as it continues to build on its success in the field events.