Gary Card at the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24 (© World Athletics 
Enzo Santos Barreiro)
Gary Card announced himself in a big way at the Jamaican Championships in June, clocking a national U20 100m record of 9.93 to move to joint third on the world U20 all-time list.
It was the latest step on a decade-long sprint journey for the 19-year-old, who is now focused on the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 on 5-9 August.
Card showed his vast potential from an early age. He won the U10 boys’ sprint double for his school Ardenne Prep at the age of nine and was one of the standout performers at the 2017 National Prep School Championships. After transitioning to high school at Wolmer’s Boys’, also in Kingston, Jamaica, Card realised that making the track and field team was something earned, not given.
“It was difficult at first,” said Card. “I was always used to winning from my prep school days, so coming to a new environment and seeing that I was at the bottom of the food chain forced me to work my way up and earn the respect of my coach and teammates.”
Gary Card at the Gyulai István Memorial in Budapest (© World Athletics 
Christel Saneh)
Card’s steadfastness and mental fortitude ensured he wasted no time in proving his pedigree. In 2022, in front of a vociferous home crowd, he secured a silver medal at his first CARIFTA Games in the U17 boys’ 100m on home soil in Kingston. A year later, Card rebounded after a false start at the prestigious ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships to claim 100m silver at the NACAC U18 Championships in San José, Costa Rica.
Card is adept at running the 100m and 200m and does so interchangeably throughout each season. After winning the U20 boys’ 200m title at the 2024 CARIFTA Games in Grenada, the ambitious then 17-year-old decided to compete in the 100m against his peers and the 200m against the seniors during that year’s Jamaican Championships.
“I train with seniors every day, so why shouldn’t I be competing against them?” explained Card, who won the 100m in a PB of 10.07 and finished fifth in the 200m in a PB of 20.50 behind winner Bryan Levell, the future world bronze medallist.
“It motivates me and pushes me to run faster, so it can only be to my advantage.”
Later that year, at the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, the young Jamaican encountered challenges he had never faced before. The event took place during the Peruvian winter with temperatures ranging between 13-21°C.
“It was crazy in Peru. It was so cold that I had to wear three sets of clothing and make a lot of major adjustments, including doing extra strides during my warm-up,” said Card, who finished sixth in the 100m and formed part of Jamaica’s gold medal-winning 4x100m team.
“The experience taught me a lot. It was the most nerve-wracking time of my life, and I felt the pressure. Now, I’m more accustomed to those situations, and it will help in my future races, including the upcoming ones in Eugene (at the World U20 Championships in Oregon).”
Gary Card and his 4x100m teammates at the 2024 World U20 Championships (© World Athletics Oscar Munoz Badilla)
The year 2025 represented unfinished business. Despite an extra year of eligibility, Card made his final appearance at the Boys and Girls Championships. It was also his final chance to secure an elusive individual 100m gold medal. Card looked impressive in his semifinal, cruising to a then PB of 10.06.
“I went into the final with a lot of expectations,” said Card, who ran flawlessly for the first 85 metres. “I usually do not think too much during a race. However, when I started feeling pain towards the end, I knew in that moment that I did not want my final race to end on that note, and so I pushed through and held on for the gold. It was my toughest race. My physio was upset that I didn’t stop, but I am glad I didn’t.”
According to Card, after careful reasoning with his influential father, going to college was a better option than completing two years in sixth form. A few months later, he enrolled in the University of Technology. “I really felt it was time to go to college,” he said. “It was also more convenient with my training as the university is where I train, so it was easier to access the facilities.”
The 2026 season so far has proven that the third time was the charm for Card when it came to racing against senior athletes.
“I went into the race expecting to run sub-10, but in the moment after the race, while waiting for the scoreboard time, I was thinking it wasn’t my best race,” said Card, reflecting on his performance at last month’s Jamaican Championships. “The time (9.93) surprised me, and thinking about it now, I know that if I stay healthy and stay fit, I can go faster.”
Gary Card at the Jamaican Championships (© Dwayne Richards of Yardie Sports)
After that he ran a 200m PB of 20.28 to finish fifth at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Budapest – a time that places him second on the Jamaican U20 all-time list behind only Usain Bolt.
When discussing his improvement, Card emphasised the importance of his training partner Kishane Thompson, the Olympic and world 100m silver medallist.
“I always say iron sharpens iron,” explained Card. “Training with Kishane Thompson every day really motivates me; he’s the reason I was able to run so fast this season.”
Complacency has no room in Card’s plans; he has set his sights on his next target.
“Once I run a time, I give myself the night to be excited or emotional, but the next morning I’m back to normal knowing that I can go faster,” he said. “Anything faster than 9.93 is what I need to achieve.”
On his goals for the World U20 Championships, he added: “First of all, I want to arrive in Eugene healthy and leave healthy. Secondly, of course, to win the events I’m running, which are the 100m, 200m and 4x100m. That is the aim, and to run personal best times in both the 100m and 200m.”
Card is from a close-knit family that supports him wholeheartedly, and he often returns the favour with his outstanding performances. The World U20 Championships provides Card with another opportunity to make his family, friends, coach, physiotherapist, manager and the MVP camp proud.
After all, Card lives by his school motto: ‘age quod agis’ – whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability.
Noel Francis for World Athletics
