Beckford hopes to be on world stage in 2023
Published:Monday | July 10, 2023 | 12:05 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
Two years into his senior career, Romaine Beckford is cherishing his first national high jump title, one that he hopes will increase the confidence gained from his rookie season.
Beckford won the title on Friday at the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships with a leap of 2.23m. Christoff Bryan was second, also in 2.23m, but with more jumps. Lushane Wilson was third with 2.15m.
Beckford is coming off a season where he claimed the college indoor and outdoor titles and achieved his personal best of 2.27.
Tapping into the experience he gained in his first senior global championship at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year, he said that it played a role in boosting his confidence.
“I think one of the biggest things was getting all the experience that I got last year, jumping with the seniors at the Commonwealth Games as well. I think it kind of boosted my ego to know that I can really reach the top. I can jump against the top jumpers and also finish at the top with them,” Beckford said.
Beckford would finish eighth in the final but that knowledge has set the platform for a season where he is now tied for 17th in the world this year, the highest Jamaican ranked in the world despite not yet achieving the automatic qualifying standard of 2.32m. He remains on course for his first World Championships appearance should the rankings hold at the end of the month.
“I was working on getting the height as well (in the final). But in the meanwhile, I am just trying to get as many points as possible so I can stay in the points ranking,” Beckford said.
Beckford is hoping to be that guiding light for the men in the discipline following in the footsteps of the late Germaine Mason, who holds the national record of 2.34m.
“That is one of my biggest goals. Since Germaine Mason stopped jumping for Jamaica (he represented Britain at the Olympics in 2008), we haven’t had a Jamaican high jumper qualify for the Olympic Games. It is one of my goals that I am working on to make sure I become one of the high jumpers to compete on the biggest stage for Jamaica.”
He may have company with him as Wilson, who is tied for 22nd, and Bryan who is tied for 36th, are in the running as well.
But he believes that his first national championship win sets the stage for greater things to come.
“It is really exciting to know that I have won my first national senior championship,” Beckford said.