Ackeem Blake, Tina Clayton, Kadrian Goldson and Jonielle Smith deliver strong opening-day performance in Budapest.
Jamaica’s mixed 4x100m relay team opened the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships with a silver medal, according to the Jamaica Observer. The quartet of Ackeem Blake, Tina Clayton, Kadrian Goldson and Jonielle Smith clocked 39.72 seconds in Friday’s final at the National Athletics Center in Budapest, Hungary, finishing just behind the dominant American squad.
The USA team set a new national record with their winning time of 39.64 seconds, while Great Britain secured the bronze medal in 40.26 seconds. The competitive result underscored Jamaica’s continued strength in relay events on the international stage.
Jamaica’s track and field contingent faced mixed fortunes across the day’s other events. Megan Simmonds finished fifth in the 100m hurdles with a season’s best of 12.42 seconds, while Nickisha Pryce advanced to Saturday’s women’s 400m final after placing third in her semi-final with a time of 49.72 seconds. However, several other Jamaican athletes fell short of advancing, including Ackera Nugent, who withdrew from her 100m hurdles semi-final after a fall, and Danielle Williams, the two-time world champion, who narrowly missed qualification.
In field events, Lamara Distin cleared 1.86m in the women’s high jump but could not advance further, finishing joint sixth. The opening day results reflected both the competitive depth of international athletics and the challenges facing Jamaica’s squad at the inaugural championship format.
The World Athletics Ultimate Championships represents a new competition format in track and field, bringing together elite athletes from around the world. The inaugural event took place in Budapest, Hungary in September 2026 at the Gyula Zsivotzky National Athletics Centre.
Jamaica remains a powerhouse in Caribbean athletics, and performances at world championships carry significant pride for the island nation and its diaspora community. The mixed relay format represents an evolving competitive landscape in international track and field where Caribbean athletes continue to compete at the highest levels.
Written & Edited by Orlyn Edwards. Published by Caribbean Air Force Media.
Category: Sports · Island routing: Jamaica