It has been quite a journey for the national middle-distance champion Navasky Anderson to the 2024 Paris Olympic track.

Anderson hails from the community of Cave Valley in St. Ann, home to other Jamaican athletes such as Christian Gordon and Nathan Allen which he grew up around.

Speaking to fellow Olympian Warren Weir on Weirz World, Anderson explained that he attended Clarksonville All-Age School, where in grade 5, he was scouted out by a St. Jago High coach to attend the institution after his primary school stint.

Two years later, the soon-to-be 800-metre record holder made it to the front gates of the Monk Street institution in Spanish Town, leaving his country life behind.

Anderson would go on to represent St. Jago at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships, but only managed a fifth-place finish in the boys’ classes 3 and 4 events in the 1500 metres.

It was from these experiences in his career, however, that his passion for the 800 metres as well as the 1500 metres was clarified.

Essex County College in New Jersey would be the next leg of Anderson’s race in 2019, having been accepted on a scholarship.

He spent two years at Essex, listening to his coach and fine-tuning his craft, so much so that he received 18 division one offers.

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Uma publicação compartilhada por Navasky Anderson, OLY (@iamnavasques)

It would not be long before he would hand over to the Mississippi State University in 2020, where he pursued bachelor’s and master’s degrees in science and kinesthesiology, graduating in December 2023.

Along the way, Anderson picked up a bronze in the Pan-American Games in November 2023, participated twice in the 800 metres final at the Commonwealth Games and broke the Jamaican 800 metres indoor record in February 2023 at the Music City Challenge in Nashville, Tennessee, running a time of 1:46.58.

The 24-year-old also clinched 800 metres silver at the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships during his time at MSU.

He then became the first and only Jamaican man to go sub 1:45.00 when he dipped at the finish line on a time of 1:44.70 at the DC Track Championships in July 2023 to take silver.

Anderson will take the track next at his Olympic debut on Wednesday, August 7.