Navasky eyes World Champs medal

June 27, 2025
Jamaica’s Navasky Anderson competing in the men’s 800m at the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Oregon, United States, on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.
Jamaica’s Navasky Anderson competing in the men’s 800m at the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Oregon, United States, on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

At the Olympic Games in Paris last year, most of the medals brought home by Jamaicans came from the non-traditional events.

Olympian and national 800-metre record holder, Navasky Anderson, says he hopes to continue this trend in the middle distance events as he aims to medal at the Tokyo World Championships this year.

"That shift was inspiring. It showed that Jamaica has the talent and potential beyond the traditional sprint events. My hope is to continue that momentum by not just qualifying, but competing for a medal in the 800m," Anderson continued.

"Every time I step on the track, I'm not just representing myself, I'm carrying the flag for Jamaican middle distance. A medal would be historic, and I believe it's within reach, with faith, preparation, and execution," the Pan American bronze medallist added.

He said the new training camp in Baltimore, United States, has inspired this hope.

"Training in Baltimore has brought a fresh environment and a new level of accountability. I've been more focused on the little things, mobility, nutrition, strength and the structure has really helped me lock in. I'm around people who push me daily, and that energy keeps me sharp," the former Mississippi State University runner said.

This improvement has also inspired him to double by competing in the 1500m race.

"That's something I've considered (doubling internationally). And I can say yes there's a lot of room for improvement in the 1500 so I'll be doing the double at Trials. I definitely believe I have potential in both events, and it's something I'd love to explore," he said.

The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association National Senior and Junior Championships got under way yesterday, and Anderson says he looks forward to competing this weekend in front of his home crowd.

"There's nothing like competing in front of your own people. The energy, the love, the support, it's unmatched. I'm looking forward to feeding off the crowd and showing Jamaicans that we have something to cheer for in the middle distances too," he said.

Anderson set a national record of one minute, 44.61 seconds at the Mission Run Baltimore High Performance meet on June 8, 2025, lowering his previous record of 1:44.70.

However, he still has another hurdle to clear, as he is yet to make the championships' automatic qualifying time of 1:44.50, but he said he is motivated to keep going by "the belief that there's always more in the tank".

"I haven't reached my ceiling, and I feel a sense of responsibility to push the limits, not just for myself, but for the next generation of Jamaican athletes. As long as I have breath and purpose, I'll keep going," he said.

Anderson also said he believes Jamaica can have more than one athlete competing in these middle-distance events at this year's World Championships.

"The talent is here, it's just about opportunity, structure, and belief. I see other Jamaican athletes rising in the 800m and with the right support, I believe we can have multiple representatives on that world stage.

"It would be a major step forward for the growth of middle-distance running in Jamaica, and I'd love to be part of paving that path," he said.

sports@gleanerjm.com

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