A string of late withdrawals has begun to shadow Jamaica’s otherwise formidable sprinting ledger. The pattern first speared its head at the Paris Olympics last year when Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrew prior to the 100m semi-final after sustaining an injury in her final warm-up. Shericka Jackson followed the next day by pulling out of the 200m on August 4, 2024, citing ongoing hamstring concerns. The personal cost was plain and immediate. “It is difficult for me to find the words to describe the depth of my disappointment,” Fraser-Pryce had written on Instagram. And now, as the star finally gears up for her run at the World Athletics Championship one last time, her country has faced another major setback. 

While this Worlds was supposed to be the most memorable one as the team would bid farewell to ‘Mommy Rocket’, another medal prospect of Jamaica has succumbed to an unforeseen circumstance. As per the Track & Field Gazette on X on September 9, “Rushell Clayton has withdrawn from the Tokyo 2025 World Championships due to injury! She won Bronze in the women’s 400mH at the last edition in Budapest and won the event at the Jamaican National Trials. Sanique Walker was named as the alternate on the Jamaican team for the World Championships.”

Team manager Ian Forbes had also confirmed in an interview with Observer Online, “I can confirm that Ms Rochelle Clayton has been withdrawn due to injury.” Notably, the sprinter has been battling a lingering leg injury. Clayton is a two-time world medalist, having won bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles at the 2019 World Championships in Doha and again at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. Her personal best of 52.51 seconds, recorded last year, places her among Jamaica’s second-fastest in the event behind Melanie Walker (52.42).

The principal story is stark and immediate. Team Jamaica faces an unexpected crisis at the World Athletics Championships after the national champion’s withdrawal. The replacement named on Jamaica’s roster, Sanique Walker, cannot be fielded because the timing of Clayton’s withdrawal makes logistical substitution impracticable. Team officials have confirmed that the window for a late call-up closed before travel, accreditation, and accommodation arrangements could be completed. As a result, Jamaica will enter only two athletes in the women’s 400m hurdles, Andrenette Knight and Shiann Salmon.

Clayton’s absence carries even greater weight when placed against her own reflections after her bronze in Budapest two years ago. Back then, she had described the mental strain of championship racing and the relief of rising to the challenge. “I’m really happy. I knew I had to execute a good race. I knew it was going to be a fast race,” she said after securing her medal. At the time, she admitted the pressure was almost overwhelming. “Listen, I was mad nervous coming in here. I tried this morning. When I woke up, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, why do I feel like this?’” Yet, she emphasized the advice she carried into the blocks: “My coach was like, ‘You’ve been executing well. Just stay true to your execution’. And my manager was like, ‘You’re the strongest person I know. So just keep executing. Just stay committed’.”

That said, responsibility for outcomes now rests with Knight and Salmon. Both will carry heightened expectations and a heavier tactical burden than originally intended. 

Withdrawal adds fresh twist to USA-Jamaica sprint rivalry at World Championships

In the midst of Jamaica’s recent misfortunes, the United States encountered its own abrupt disruption when Olympic 200-metre champion Gabby Thomas announced her withdrawal from the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Thomas admitted that the decision had been difficult but necessary, acknowledging that “sometimes you simply can’t outwork an injury.” She explained further, “I’ve finally come to the realization that it’s OK to be human and take care of myself.” The words carried weight. She opened up on her personal struggle with an Achilles tendon injury.

The timing compounded the sense of loss for Team USA. Thomas had earned her spot on the squad by the narrowest of margins at nationals, only to step away weeks before the Championships. Her message to supporters was direct, “All the best to my Team USA teammates fighting for medals in Tokyo.” For American athletics, her absence created an opening for rivals just as Jamaica’s own lineup was unsettled, a reminder that even the strongest programmes were vulnerable to the sudden demands of injury.