Caribbean athletes shine at 2025 World Championships in TokyoCEFR B2
20 Sept 2025
Adapted from Janine Mendes-Franco, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Arthur Tseng, Unsplash
The 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo ran from September 13 and will conclude on September 21. The meet highlighted a wide range of Caribbean success, from long careers ending to long-awaited returns to the top of the podium.
Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran the final individual race of her career on September 14 and finished sixth. Fraser-Pryce first drew international attention at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka as a relay reserve. Her last race in Tokyo was marked by national colours and public tributes; Usain Bolt posted on Instagram calling her an “incredible legacy,” “a real legend,” and welcoming her to “the retirement club.”
On September 18, Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott won the men’s javelin with a best mark of 88.16 metres. That performance bettered his 2012 Olympic throw by 3.58m and delivered his first World Championships gold 13 years after his Olympic victory. Walcott said, “Where have I been? I’ve been trying. […] It's been a long 13 years. And tonight is finally my night once again.” He urged others to “Keep trying, keep going!” and thanked his coach: “We made some good changes, and you can see it paid off.” Grenada’s two-time world champion Anderson Peters took silver.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards won silver in the men’s 400 metres with 43.72, a new national record. The winner, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, led the world in 2025 with 43.53, and Bayapo Ndori took bronze in 44.20. Other Caribbean medallists included Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez (women’s triple jump gold, 14.94m world-leading) and Dominica’s Thea LaFond (silver, 14.89m season’s best); Marileidy Paulino won silver in the women’s 400m for the Dominican Republic; Jamaica and other countries also took medals in sprints, hurdles and jumps.
Final results and detailed schedules are available from the event organisers as the meet concludes on September 21.
Difficult words
- podium — place where medals are given to winners
- relay — race where team members run in order
- reserve — substitute athlete ready to compete if needed
- legacy — what a person leaves behind after career
- javelin — long spear used in a throwing competition
- medallist — athlete who wins a competition medalmedallists
- world-leading — best performance in the world that year
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might Fraser-Pryce's retirement affect Jamaica's sprint teams and younger athletes? Give reasons.
- What lessons can other athletes take from Walcott winning a world title 13 years after his Olympic victory?
- How do national records and world-leading performances influence an athlete's opportunities and reputation?
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