Things eventually get better, no? Perhaps that might be true but for the Jamaicans, Day 2 was anything but better. From the opening moment, things looked troublesome for the island nation. And while the quartet of Rohan Watson, Julian Forte, Yohan Blake, and Kishane Thompson were all ready to light up the World Championships in Tokyo, they instead ended up with a DNF. Tough break, right? But hold on, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Belgium (38.49) and Kenya (38.51) pulled through, securing their spots for the World Championships in Tokyo. So, props to them for keeping it together. But wait, there’s a catch.

Jamaica’s slip-up wasn’t just about losing; it was about how it all went down. Leg 3? That’s where everything fell apart. It was a make-or-break moment, and unfortunately, it broke. A total gut punch. So, what’s the backstory here? Well, we now know Jamaica won’t be making it to the World Championships in the men’s 4x100m. And what is even worse is Olympic silver medalist Kishane Thompson never even getting a shot at the baton at #WorldRelays.

On Day 1, the baton was called before it even made it to Kishane Thompson, and on Day 2, the same thing happened. Why? Well, during the men’s 4x100m repechage round, 32-year-old track and field star Julian Forte pulled up with a hamstring injury on the second leg, tripped, and couldn’t get the baton to Yohan Blake on Leg 3.

Fans were seriously worried—“Second leg runner Julian Forte pulled up with an injury and still tried to make the exchange,” and he had to be carried out in a wheelchair. To make matters worse, Yohan Blake was left hanging, with no baton to grab. It was a mess, and you could feel the concern from the fans all around.

Track and field fans show concern as Forte overcomes another injury

The reactions from track and field fans were pouring in, and you could feel the concern in every message. One fan said, “Hope Forte is okay; hate to see someone hurt.” Another added, “Damn 🫤, that looked rough.” A third fan chimed in, “Omg, it’s wild. Jamaica had good intentions with sending their best for the short sprint relays.” Well, Julian Forte’s athletic career has been marked by early promise but also a series of injuries that have consistently impacted his progress.

His performance at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Barcelona is a key moment, where he led the men’s 200m final comfortably but was forced to pull up due to cramps in his right leg, ultimately finishing in 21.00 seconds. Despite the early promise he showed, that race highlighted his vulnerability to injury. He had opted for the 200m over the 100m to avoid overexertion, but the injury still struck.

Since then, injuries have been a recurring issue for Forte. He faced back and knee injuries in 2018, which prevented him from competing in the Commonwealth Games. That same year, he suffered a hamstring tear at the national championships. The next year, groin issues compounded his struggles as he continued to recover from previous injuries.

In 2022, Forte revealed that a quadriceps injury, initially thought to be shin splints, had kept him from training for six weeks. An MRI showed a stress reaction and edema near his shin, adding further complications to his recovery. Despite these setbacks, Forte’s resilience is notable. In 2024, after nearly quitting the sport due to persistent injuries, he ran an impressive 6.48 seconds in the 60m at the Gibson Relays, signaling a potential comeback.

By May 2024, he was preparing for the National Senior Athletics Championships, with hopes of representing Jamaica at his third Olympic Games in Paris. He expressed satisfaction with his recovery, though he did not disclose the nature of his most serious injury. One track and field fan shared, “Seeing him being taken away in a wheelchair was pretty terrifying.” Another chimed in, “Man, I really hope Forte is okay; the way he fell looked super scary.”

Sure, his career has been threatened by injuries, but we can’t forget about the wonderful things that Julian Forte has achieved. He is in the #47 position in the current men’s 100 m world rankings and has won a Diamond League event and gold at the Commonwealth Games. In the 100m, he’s run a 9.91-second PB, while his 200m is 19.97 seconds. Fingers crossed that this latest injury isn’t too harsh!