Tina Clayton
Jamaican sprinter (born 2004)
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Tina Clayton (born 17 August 2004) is a Jamaican sprinter. She won gold medals for both the 100 metres and 4 × 100 m relay at both the 2021 and 2022 World Under-20 Championships. Clayton set a championship record in her individual event in 2022, while Jamaican women's relay team broke the world U20 record on both occasions with times of 42.94 s and 42.59 s respectively.[2][3]
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname | Twin Turbo [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 17 August 2004 Westmoreland, Jamaica | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Jamaica | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Event | Sprints | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | MVP Track Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Stephen Francis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal bests | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Tina has a twin sister, Tia Clayton, who ran the anchor leg of those world record relays. Together, they are referred to as the "Twin Turbo."[1]
Biography
Tina Clayton attended Edwin Allen High School in Clarendon, Jamaica. She and her sister first became national stars under the training program of renown Jamaican coach Michael Dyke.[4][5][6]
Career
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CARIFTA Games were postponed for 2020 and 2021. During her time partaking in the ISSA Boys and Girls National High School Championships, she won both the 100 metres and 4 × 100 metres relay in different age classes and helped Edwin Allen High to overall Champs victories.[1][7] In 2022, Tina left high school and went directly to the professional league.
2021
She won the girls 100 m and 4 × 100 m gold medals at the 2021 NACAC U18 Championships.[8]
That same year, she achieved success at her first U20 World Championships in Nairobi, Kenya winning gold in both the 100m in 11.09 (-0.6) and the 4 × 100m relay (2021 World Athletics U20 Championships).
2022
Clayton took the U20 100 m title at the 2022 CARIFTA Games in 11.22 seconds ahead of her twin sister, Tia Clayton, who earned the silver medal in 11.30.[9] Then, the Jamaican women's 4 × 100 m relay team set a world U20 record time 42.58 which was not ratified because one of the four members of the quartet of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brianna Lyston and Tia Clayton was not drug tested post race. According to JADCO, they administered the test the previous day, but WA rejected this explanation.[10][11]
Still, the 42.58 is the official CARIFTA games record. Months later at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships - Women's 4 × 100 metres relay in Cali, Colombia, the quartet of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Kerrica Hill, and Tia Clayton again broke the junior women's relay record, in a time of 42.59. This new time got ratified by the World Athletics governing body.[12] At the same championships, Clayton won the 100m gold in a CR 10.95 while her peer from school Serena Cole took silver for the quinella.[13]
2023
This time was spent mostly adjusting and acclimating to the new training regiment at MVP.[14]
2024
Clayton aimed to go to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, but did not due to injury. At the JAAA National Trials in 2024, she placed 6th in the semifinal and did not advance to the final. However, her sister made the team.[15][16]
2025
After missing the Olympics, Tina was determined to make the 2025 World Athletics Championships team to Tokyo, Japan by crossing the line first in 10.81, (+0.1) at the National trials, her first national senior title.[17] Then, she went on to win silver in both the 100 metres (10.76 PB, +0.3) and 4 × 100 metres relay (41.79) at the global competition.[18]
Also in 2025, she won a bronze medal in the women's 4 × 100 m relay in 42.33 at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in China.[citation needed]
2026
Clayton started the season competing in a few local meets for the outdoor 60 metres and 200 metres.[19][20]
As part of the Jamaican mixed 4 × 100 metres relay squad, along with Ackeem Blake, Kadrian Goldson, and sister Tia Clayton, she won gold breaking the world record twice, first in the heats, then the finals in 39.99 and 39.62 respectively.[21] On May 9, at the JAAA Puma meet in Kingston, Clayton finished second behind her sister in a 10.98 100 metres season opener.[22]
On September 5th, she became the fifth Jamaican woman to claim the women’s 100 m Diamond League title and trophy beating a field that includes the likes of 2023 World Champion Sha’carri Richardson and Amy Hunt. She dedicated the victory to her late coach Stephen "Frano" Francis who passed away on July 4th 2026. [23]
Athletics achievements
Information from her World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[24]
Personal bests
| Type | Distance | Time (s) | Wind (m/s) | Venue | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual events | ||||||
| Outdoor | 60 metres | 7.02 | +2.0 | Kingston, Jamaica | 25 February 2023 | |
| 100 metres | 10.76 | +0.3 | Tokyo, Japan | 14 September 2025 | ||
| 150 metres | 17.00 | +1.4 | Miramar, United States | 4 April 2026 | ||
| 200 metres | 23.02 | +0.5 | Kingston, Jamaica | 19 April 2026 | ||
| 300 metres | 39.61 | N/a | Miramar, United States | 5 April 2025 | ||
| Team events | ||||||
| Outdoor | 4 × 100 metres relay | 41.79 | N/a | Tokyo, Japan | 21 September 2025 | |
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | NACAC U18 Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 1st | 100 m | 11.17 | |
| 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 45.49 | ||||
| World U20 Championships | Nairobi, Kenya | 1st | 100 m | 11.09 | ||
| 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 42.94 | WU20R | |||
| 2022 | CARIFTA Games | Kingston, Jamaica | 1st | 100 m | 11.22 | |
| 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 42.58 | CR[a] | |||
| World U20 Championships | Cali, Colombia | 1st | 100 m | 10.95 | CR | |
| 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 42.59 | WU20R[b] | |||
| 2025 | World Relays | Guangzhou, China | 3rd | 4 × 100 m relay | 42.33 | |
| World Championships | Tokyo, Japan | 2nd | 100 m | 10.76 | PB | |
| 2nd | 4 × 100 m relay | 41.79 | ||||
| 2026 | World Relays | Gaborone, Botswana | 1st | Mixed 4 × 100 m relay | 39.62 | WR |
- World U20 record time not ratified because one of the four members of the quartet of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brianna Lyston and Tia Clayton was not drug tested post race. According to JADCO, they administered the test the previous day, but WA rejected this explanation.[10]
National championships and competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Time | Wind (m/s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Jamaican U18 Championships | Kingston | 2nd | 100 m | 11.51 | +0.8 | |
| 2021 | Jamaican U20 Championships | Kingston | 1st | 100 m | 11.25 | 0.0 | |
| 1st | 200 m | 23.61 | -1.7 | ||||
| 2022 | Jamaican U20 Championships | Kingston | 1st | 100 m | 10.96 | +1.0 | |
| 2023 | Jamaican Championships | Kingston | 10th (sf) | 100 m | 11.44 | -0.9 | |
| 2024 | Jamaican Championships | Kingston | 12th (sf) | 100 m | 11.26 | +1.5 | |
| 2025 | Jamaican Championships | Kingston | 1st | 100 m | 10.81 | +0.1 | |
| 2026 | Jamaican Championships | Kingston | 2nd | 100 m | 10.85 | -0.3 |
