Douglas and Card put Jamaica on path to historic U20 sprint sweep

Jamaican women have claimed the World Under-20 100 metres crown at each of the last four editions of the championships. Briana Williams took gold in 2018, Tina Clayton won consecutive titles in 2021 and 2022, and Alana Reid struck gold at the most recent meet in Lima, Peru.

Jamaica’s men have lifted the same prize just twice, both times through Dexter Lee, who won in 2008 and again in 2010.

When the men’s and women’s finals are run at this year’s championships in Eugene, Oregon, Jamaica may match a landmark set by the United States at the 2016 Championships in Bydgoszcz. There, Candace Hill and Noah Lyles each won the 100m, and that remains the sole occasion on which one country has taken both titles at a single championship.

Shanoya Douglas and Gary Card give Jamaica a realistic shot at becoming only the second nation to do so. Both arrive in Eugene as the world leaders and strong contenders for gold.

Douglas is the lone woman in the field with a sub-11 mark, her personal best standing at 10.98. Her principal rival is expected to be America’s Mia Maxwell, who has run 11.08.

Card owns the quickest entry time at 9.93 and is the only competitor entered who has gone under 10 seconds. He is likely to face Nigeria’s John Caleb (10.00), America’s Tate Taylor (10.04), and South Africa’s Marko Ferreira (10.04).

The championships offer both Jamaicans a chance to etch their names into the event’s history. Two years ago in Lima, Peru, each shared in Jamaica’s 4x100m relay triumphs.