Jamaican discus thrower Roje Stona is now an Olympic champion and a history-maker and, as he celebrates the historic achievement, the towering 23-year-old has a decision to make.

Sitting eighth in the final of the men’s discus event inside the Stade de France, Stona, in a show of mental fortitude, dug deep to produce the biggest throw ever in Olympics history, landing the implement 70.00m on the dot to displace Lithuania’s Mykolas Alenka, 69.97m — who had just thrown what was then an Olympic record himself — to become Jamaica’s first gold medal winner in any field event at the Olympic Games. This was also Jamaica’s first Olympic medal of any colour in the event.

Stona’s achievement – Jamaica’s first gold at the Paris 2024 Games — continues the remarkable returns from the island’s field event athletes, who are now responsible for four of the country’s five medals to date, with the tally now standing at one gold, three silver, and one bronze. Jamaica now sits third in the athletics medal table behind the United States (6-7-6) and Canada (2-0-1).

Australia’s Matthew Denny was third with a mark of 69.31m.

“It is a great feeling. This is what I have been preparing for, this is what I dream of, and to come here and actually do it, this is one of the best feelings in my life, the best day,” Stona told the Jamaica Observer.

“I was not really surprised, but to get it here, I knew it would take a lot,” he added.

“Jamaica should be proud right now, they should celebrate. Field events are taking a step in the right direction now. We’re doing good, we’re getting medals,” said Stona, the former St Jago standout.

Stona has improved on his previous lifetime best effort of 69.05m and is now second all-time on the Jamaican toplist behind national record holder and trailblazing thrower, Fedrick Dacres, whose mark is 70.78m.

Interestingly, it could all have been so different for the 6ft 7in, 240-pound thrower, who has been struggling with several issues all year and has been courting a career in the National Football League (NFL) in recent times.

After impressing during an NFL Pro Day at University of Arkansas, Stona was invited in May to Rookie Mini Camps by the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints and has been assessed as a priority free agent by NFL analyst Lance Zeirlein, who noted that he would likely be targeted by teams as a developmental player in the tight end position.

It’s left to be seen if the youngster will still consider a future in American football after conquering the world in his first love — athletics.

“It is just the problems that I have been going through all season. It’s been a long year for me, actually. I did shot put, then I went to football [NFL], and then I took back up discus, and now I am here,” he said before crediting three-time and reigning Olympic shot put champion, Ryan Crouser, who he shared an embrace with from the stands after his win, for resurrecting his career.

Under Crouser’s guidance, Stona has reached the pinnacle of Olympic accomplishment after finishing 19th at last year’s World Championships in Budapest.

“You know Ryan Crouser is a great guy. He is the greatest shot putter of all time, and to work with him has been a really good feeling. I am just looking forward to what the future has,” said Stona, who is now the only non-European Olympic champion in the history of the event.

“He knew what I was capable of because we have been training all year, and he came and executed, and I came and executed, and it was just the perfect championship,” he added.

“It’s everything I wanted, but for it to actually happen, it’s a very good feeling.”

In another first for the country, three Jamaicans competed in the final of the discus event, with Ralford Mullings finishing ninth with 65.61m and Traves Smikle finishing 10th with 64.97m.

Jamaica will be looking to add to its medal tally with six finalists on today’s eighth day of track and field competition.

Defending champions Hansle Parchment will have Rasheed Broadbell and the in-form Orlando Bennett for company in the 110m hurdles final at 2:45pm, with two-time World Championships bronze medallist Rushell Clayton and Shiann Salmon lining up in the women’s 400m hurdles final at 2:25pm.

Long jumper Ackelia Smith will be the first finalist in action when she takes flight at 1:00pm.