'I need HELP' - Jamaican athlete shares emotional story detailing lack of support

Nayoka Clunis

'I need HELP' - Jamaican athlete shares emotional story detailing lack of support

Funmilayo Fameso 02:23 - 07.12.2023

Hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis, ranked 27th in the world, opened up on the challenges and difficulties faced for not being a highly-ranked Jamaican athlete and seeks help.

Jamaican thrower Nayoka Clunis has shared an emotional story detailing the lack of support she is facing for not being a Top 5 athlete in her country.

Clunis, who became the first ever female Jamaican hammer thrower to qualify for senior World Championships and competed in Budapest, opened up on the hardship she is facing as an athlete, the countless amount of help she has been asking for but gets none because she's not in the elite league.

Nayoka Clunis as a student of the University of Minnesota

The four-time Jamaican champion shared online a long post with the caption: The pain of being a Jamaican T&F athlete.

Nayoka Clunis social media post

Clunis has been Jamaica's best hammer thrower for the past four years and has a personal best of 71.18m set this year to qualify for Budapest. She's ranked 27th in the world, making her one of the best throwers in the event.

Nayoka Clunis has been Jamaica's best hammer thrower for four consecutive years

With her disclosure of the difficulties she's facing as a non-track elite athlete in Jamaica, it's obvious the country has its priorities on the top track stars, so more needs to be done on the overall welfare of their athletes.

Also, top athletes such as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Shericka Jackson, need to come out openly in support of the general well-being and growth of all Jamaican athletes.

Tags: