BOSTON, United States — Despite sustaining a hamstring tear that could sideline her for up to eight weeks, Jamaica’s horizontal jumper Ackelia Smith is positive she will be ready for the National Championships in June.

Smith told the Jamaica Observer on Saturday’s final day of the NCAA Division 1 Indoors track and field championships, at the TRACK at New Balance in Boston, that an ultrasound done earlier in the day had confirmed a tear.

She said it could take “between six to eight weeks to heal”.

The University of Texas standout went into the meet with a leading mark of 6.85m but she failed to get past the first round — with just one legal mark of 6.21m — and finished in 12th place.

She showed up for the triple jump on Saturday but was unable to compete. Still, she was in good spirits when she spoke.

“I hurt my leg on Friday,” she said while expressing confidence she will return to compete for University of Texas during the outdoor season which started last weekend.

Smith competed in both the long and triple jumps at the last two World Athletics Championships — in 2022 in Eugene, United States, and last year in Budapest, Hungary. She is one centimetre short of the qualifying mark for the women’s long jump at the Olympic Games.

The Jamaican championships is to be held from June 27-30 at the National Stadium. The Paris Olympics Games is scheduled for July 26 to August 11.