Saturday (May 22) was a good day for Jamaican Shadae Lawrence, who shattered Jamaica’s national discus record for women twice in the space of minutes at the USA Throws Festival in Arizona.

The 25-year-old Hydel High School alum threw 65.47m and then 67.05m on consecutive throws to smash her previous record of 65.05m set back in May 2019. Notwithstanding the incredible performance, she was beaten by Dutchwoman Jorinde van Klinken, who produced a world-leading 70.22m for victory.

Lawrence, who now has to make the top three places at Jamaica’s national championships in June to book a seat to Tokyo, improved on each throw for the first five rounds of the competition with throws of 59.54m, 60.04m, 63.72m, 65.47m and peaking at 67.05m. She fouled her final effort.

The performance would have pleased her coach Julian Robinson, who indicated recently that he hopes to make her a consistent 65m thrower in time for the Summer Olympic Games.

“What I am working on with her is for her to have a lower limit of 65m. I think a lower limit of 65 is possible,” Robinson said. “It’s hard to coach remotely but we are making progress. I think it’s possible for her to get to the Olympics averaging 65.”

Kelsey Card of the United States was third with 63.18m.

Later at the same meet, Jamaica’s men’s national record holder Fedrick Dacres threw 65.20m as he also finished second.

Dacres, who holds the national record of 70.78m but is recovering from wrist surgery last November, was beaten by Samoa’s Alex Rose, who threw 67.48m. Dacres only had two throws of 65m in the competition.

Brian Williams of the USA was third with 62.96m.

It was on last Thursday that Dacres won at the 2021 Tucson Elite Classic with a season-best throw of 65.96m.