By Jonathan Burrows

Bahamian triple jumper Kaiwan Culmer secured his place at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in emphatic fashion on Friday evening at the original Thomas A. Robinson Stadium, jumping a personal best of 17.29 meters on his very first attempt during the Men’s Triple Jump finals at the BAAA Open Senior Track and Field Championships.

The electrifying jump surpassed the World Athletics qualifying standard of 17.22 meters, which is the third furthest jump by a Bahamian and the eighth furthest jump in the world, officially booking his ticket to Tokyo later this year. The 28-year-old’s performance was met with the loving applause of the home crowd, as Culmer showcased fierce emotion, celebrating this moment of triumph.

“It’s beautiful, man… beyond beautiful, that's all I have to say,” said Culmer as he described the feeling of qualifying.

Culmer’s journey to this moment has been anything but easy. Last year at the BAAA Kids Athletics Invitational and Junior and Senior National Track and Field Championships in June, he fell just short of qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games with a jump of 16.79 meters. This would come after initially submitting his resignation from Arawak Homes the year before to pursue his athletic career. Still, the company had instead chosen to support his journey by sponsoring his efforts to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games.

“It's a serious thing when you quit on yourself and others quit on you. It's a serious thing when you’ve been in a slump for years… almost over five to six years and still being able to turn that around, that's a serious thing…I lost a lot, and every time I step on the runway, that's what I think about… I think about what I lost, and I think about that pain,” said Culmer. “It's been a hard journey, a lot of crying, a lot of blood, a lot of tears, and the biggest part is the sacrifice, but this is an amazing feeling,” he added.

Saturday’s 17.29-meter jump marked a significant milestone as a declaration that Culmer is ready to compete against the world’s elite. With his place in Tokyo secured, Culmer now sets his sights on making a serious impact at the World Championships.

“I have to get in those finals… I'm not in a position where I believe I’m the best, I’m in the position where I am one of the best… this track and field is a factual thing, it's about the statistics, and when I get up there it's all about executing… I believe that I can get a medal at world championships and I believe that I can get a national record… that's what I believe,” said Culmer.

Culmer's qualifications add to an already impressive roster of Bahamian athletes heading to Tokyo and start the weekend with standout performances at the BAAA Nationals. Kaiwan’s story of sacrifice and self-belief is a powerful reminder of what is possible when talents connect with opportunity and determination.