// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Janielle Josephs? A joe with great initials.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| National team | Jamaica |
| Born | 3 October 2000 |
| Education | St Andrew High School University of Minnesota |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Events | 200 metres 400 metres |
| University team | Minnesota Golden Gophers |
Janielle Josephs (born 3 October 2000) is a Jamaican track and field athlete who specialises in the 200 metres, 400 metres and 4 × 400 metres relay events. In 2018, she won the bronze medal in the 4 x 400 metres at the 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships.
Early life and education
[edit]Janielle Josephs was born on 3 October 2000 in Kingston, Jamaica to Garnett Josephs and Edweena Roberts.[1][2] Josephs started competing in athletic events after her mother noticed her affinity for running and encouraged her to participate. Josephs enjoyed several of her sixth form subjects but she said that she got involved in running initially because she "wanted to miss school".[3] She attended St Andrew High School for Girls in the parish of Saint Andrew.[3] While at the school, she won both the 200 and 400 metres races at the Digicel Anthrick Corporate Area Championship. In the latter, she was awarded $25,000 after she broke Tiffany James' existing record with a time of 55.15 seconds.[4]
After graduating from high school in 2019, she began attending the University of Minnesota and competing for their college team Minnesota Golden Gophers.[2] In her freshman year, she was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.[5]
Career
[edit]In 2018, Josephs competed for Jamaica at the CARIFTA Games in Nassau, where she ran the 4x400m relay and won bronze in the 400 metres. The same year, Josephs won another bronze medal in the 4 x 400 metres at the 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships, and placed second in the Under-20 400 metres at the 2018 JAAA National Junior Championships.[2][6]
In April 2026, she was selected to be a part of the Jamaican 4 x 400 metres team at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone the following month.[7][8] Achieving their season best with a time of 3:27.19, the team finished fifth in Heat 1 and failed to advance.[9] Also in May, Josephs was the runner-up in the 400 metres in the JAAA Puma Meet Two with a time of 53.62.[10]
References
[edit]- ↑ Janielle Josephs at World Athletics
- 1 2 3 "Janielle Josephs". Minnesota Golden Gophers. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
- 1 2 Salmon, David (19 February 2019). "Janielle Josephs overcoming doubt". Jamaica Gleaner.
- ↑ Walker, Howard (21 February 2018). "St Andrew's Janielle Josephs ready and set to go". Jamaica Observer.
- ↑ "Josephs Named B1G Freshman of the Year". Minnesota Golden Gophers. 12 May 2020.
- ↑ Foster, Anthony (18 July 2018). "Kai Chang delivers as Jamaica finish with record medal haul". TrackAlerts.
- ↑ "Jamaica names strong squad for World Athletics Relays". Jamaica Gleaner. 16 April 2026.
- ↑ Bailey, Robert (1 May 2026). "Blake backs Relays squad despite big-name blows". Jamaica Gleaner.
- ↑ "RESULTS Women's 4X400m Relay - World Ch. Qualifying Round 1" (PDF). World Athletics. 2 May 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
- ↑ "Scott soars to world lead in Puerto Rico, Blake dips below 10 at JC". Jamaica Gleaner. 19 May 2026.
