“We are very encouraged,” said Jamaican anchor Jonielle Smith after their 4x100m relay team, including Tia Clayton, Tina Clayton, and Jodeen Williams, blazed through the heats with a 41.80 SB and secured their spot in the finals. “The aim was to qualify safely and efficiently and I think we did a great job,” She added. This year, there was no room for error. The quartet could afford no slip-ups, unlike previous championships. Why? Jamaica is hungry for payback after their 2023 Budapest defeat, and they aim to give their queen, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a golden farewell in what promises to be the final, unforgettable race of her illustrious career.

Jamaica stormed their heat with a season’s best of 41.80, leaving Spain (42.53) and France (42.71) trailing behind. Canada (42.38) and Poland (42.83) advanced on time to complete the lineup. With their finals spot secured, the Jamaicans vowed to chase gold and dedicate it to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. After their record-breaking performance, while having a conversation with the media, Tina Clayton had some sweet words for the former queen of track and field. She added, “We shout out, I guess, Shelly. She was there with us and she motivated us, and she was there throughout our warm-up till the call room.”

She further added, “So, she was a great inspiration to us coming out here and just to qualify for the finals.” When the reporter asked the athlete whether the team is planning to ensure that Ann Fraser-Pryce gets the best farewell possible, “Well, every time I touch a shirt, I always put my all out. And you know, when you’re a part of an arena, you’re not just doing this for yourself, you’re doing it for the team. So now, the team depends on me.”