Well, that didn’t go according to plan. The 2025 World Relays were supposed to be Jamaica’s big moment—a straight shot to qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo, but what it turned out to be was a nightmare at the World Relay Championships in Guangzhou, China. Shericka Jackson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Natasha Morrison, and the latest sensation, Tina Clayton. Jamaica was the ultimate favorite to dominate at the World Relays, especially if you hand the baton to Jackson.

However, in a stunning twist, Success Eduan’s electrifying final leg stole victory for Great Britain right from under Jamaica’s nose, leaving even veterans like Shericka and Shelly-Ann visibly stunned. Now, as Team Jamaica tries to regroup and make sense of the upset, Eduan has come forward to break down the exact strategy that toppled the Jamaican sprint juggernaut.

Great Britain snatched the win with a blazing 42.21—thanks to Nia Wedderburn-Goodison, Amy Hunt, Bianca Williams, and Success Eduan, who flew on the anchor leg. Spain was just behind, clocking 42.28 with Esperanca Cladera, Jael Bestue, Paula Sevilla, and Maria Isabel Pérez. And Jamaica? Well, Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann-led Jamaica was not that far behind either with a solid 42.33 finish. But it was just not enough against a flying Eduan, who executed her plan to perfection.

After securing the gold medal in the 4x100m relay, Eduan simply did not care who she was up against. “I did not think too much of [the] others, I just knew that if I gave my all, it would come out all right,” said Eduan. “I have a mentality of a winner, I don’t care if Shericka or Shelly-Ann, respect to them, are running. I am going to give my all and I’m going to pass them and I’m going to win. And we did that.”

Notably, during the final stage, Succes Eduan’s sprint left Shericka, yes, THE Shericka Jackson, stunned. Her expression said it all. Why? Was it a loss? Of course, no! It was that anchor leg that had jaws on the floor. Shericka got the baton with a slight lead. Fans exhaled. “This is it,” they thought. But out of nowhere, Success Eduan found another gear. She didn’t just run—she hunted. First, she reeled in Spain. Then, in a stunning burst, she surged past Shericka herself, breaking hearts and stopping time all in one stride.

Shericka’s face at the finish said it all—pure disbelief. Jamaica had it. Then Spain edged them. And then Great Britain slammed the door shut. It wasn’t just a loss. It was a shockwave. You could almost hear the collective gasp from Jamaican fans. This wasn’t just a loss—it was a wake-up call. The fastest woman in the world got left in the dust, and suddenly, Tokyo isn’t looking so guaranteed. It was like the ghosts of Day 1 never left.

Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce couldn’t save Jamaica

On May 9th, Jamaica showed up to Heat 2 of the women’s 4x100m at the World Relays with a stacked lineup—Tina Clayton, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Tia Clayton, and Shericka Jackson. On paper, it looked like a walk in the park. But the race? Far from it. From the start, something felt a little off. The baton exchanges weren’t exactly smooth, and that Jamaican chemistry that has fetched numerous medals and podium finishes didn’t click.

Then came Spain, yes, Spain, flying under the radar and suddenly taking center stage. Esperanca Cladera, Jael Bestue, Paula Sevilla, and Maria Isabel Perez came out like they had something to prove and torched the track with a national record of 42.18. Jamaica ran 42.51—not bad, a season’s best even—but they didn’t win.

Germany followed with a season’s best 42.98, but what really stung over the last two days was that even with Shericka and Shelly-Ann in the lineup, Jamaica still couldn’t pull it off. Shericka—the reigning 200m queen with that blistering 21.41, the second-fastest in history—brings raw power and silky speed on the curve. And Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce? She’s a sprint legend, a five-time world 100m champ who still cracks sub-10.8 like it’s a warm-up.

Both athletes were part of the Jamaican quartet that won gold in the women’s 4x100m relay, setting a national record of 41.02 seconds. So when fans saw both icons on the same 4x100m squad, especially draped in Jamaican colors, the expectation was sky-high—gold or bust. But this time… they didn’t. And that’s what left fans reeling.