Three-time Jamaican national high jump champion Lamara Distin says she’s heading into her 2025 season with renewed belief and a sharpened focus as she prepares to open her campaign at the Boris Hanzeković Memorial Meeting in Zagreb, Croatia, on Friday.
“Honestly, there is no limit for me. I know what I’m capable of doing,” said the 24-year-old. “It’s just for me to go there, enjoy the environment and see what I can do—because I know there’s a lot more in the tank. I just have to get that approach right, and once I know that the approach is locked in, everything else will fall into place.”
Distin, the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, is a two-time NCAA Indoor champion and former NCAA Outdoor champion, having been based in the United States for several years as a standout at Texas A&M University. Her personal best—and national record—of 2.00 metres, achieved in 2023, makes her the first and only Caribbean woman to ever clear that height in the high jump.
Despite the historic milestone, she endured a frustrating 2024 campaign, failing to make the final at the Paris Olympic Games, a year after finishing fifth at the World Championships in Budapest. But she remains upbeat about what’s ahead.
“I know there’s a lot more to come,” she said, pointing to the progress she’s made this off-season. “It’s just about putting the pieces together now.”
Distin is also encouraged by the broader strides being made in Jamaican field events.
“We know Jamaica is known for the sprint factory,” she said, “but now there’s a lot of field events increasing in Jamaica. It’s more of both now—so we are both.”
As she steps back onto the international stage this week, Distin is not only aiming to reassert herself among the world’s elite but also to inspire the next generation of Jamaican jumpers. With confidence, experience, and a sense of purpose, she’s ready to show that for her, the sky is not the limit.
