With the Paris Olympics knocking on the door, every race counts in the track and field realm. But what happens when a powerhouse like Jamaica, known for its sprinting prowess on the global stage, suddenly hits a roadblock? The recent World Relays, heralded by World Athletics, had been declared as a crucial event. However, despite it being an Olympic qualifier event, stellar track stars from Jamaica like Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson chose to skip the event. 

Elaine Thompson-Herah has been gearing up to make an impeccable return after fighting against injuries. But the second-fastest woman ever for 100 meters did not attend the World Relays. On the other hand, Shericka Jackson has pulled out from the Suzhou Diamond League and her Olympic season keeps getting delayed. Why did they opt out of an event laden with Olympic implications? The matter intensified when Glen Mills, the former coach of track legend Usain Bolt, revealed his take.

Mystery surrounds Jamaican relay team selection for World Athletic Relays 2024

A recent X post revealed what Glen Mills had stated on KLAS Sports Radio. “He was not aware of the qualification process that was enacted at the World Relays this past weekend”. The head coach of the Jamaican team also shared that he received no information other than the requests from athletes who were eager to participate. This lack of communication might be the reason behind the oversight regarding qualification requirements. Tia Clayton, Ramona Burchell, Jodean Williams, and Alana Reid led the Jamaican women’s team in the 4×100 meter at the World Athletic Relays 2024 in the Bahamas in the absence of the notable stars.

Previously, Jamaica has sent strong contenders for several events in the past. But even after World Athletics clearly designated World Athletic Relay 2024 as an Olympic qualifier, Jamaica’s team contrasted with the other nations who took the championship pretty seriously. One track enthusiast expressing disappointment wrote, “What’s going on at the JAAA? (Jamaican Athletic Administrative Associations). As the head coach of one of the most prominent track clubs in Jamaica, this is a disgrace.” After the criticism surfaced, JAAA came out defending itself.

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“As is the norm, prior to selection, athletes, coaches and agents were contacted with a deadline date regarding their availability. This is then passed to the Selection Committee,” JAAA said in a press release. Alongside, it also pointed out the issue which may have led them to field a weakened team. “After selection and team entry, we were plagued with withdrawals and had to continue with those available,” it stated.

The JAAA acknowledged “Whilst we qualified for all the races bar one, we seem to have had challenges which impacted our usual stellar performance.” In the closing statements they said it cannot “speak specifically to these, until we receive the reports from the Management Team including Medical and Technical who were on the ground.”

The failure to field a strong team meant Jamaica suffered during the World Relays as the results ended up being disappointed.

Jamaica suffers from inexperience, USA surges ahead

This absence of the Jamaican sprinting sensations amid the fervor of World Relays is also reflected in the results. Jamaican men’s 4×100 meters were the only ones to reach the final of their event as the United States dominated the meet with four wins. Bryan Levell, Kadrian Goldson, Ryiem Forde, and Sandrey Davison finished seventh in the final on Sunday in 38.88 seconds. The USA won the final in a world-leading time of 37.40. Notably, all the other Jamaican teams had to bank on their second attempt to qualify for the Olympic Games after failing to finish in the top two in the heats of their events.

In the women’s 4x100m, Jodean Williams, Tia Clayton, Alana Reid, and Remona Burchell finished fifth in their opening heat in 43.33 but went on to win their second-round heat in 42.74 to book a spot at the Olympic Games. On the other hand, The United States, with Tamari Davis and Gabrielle Thomas in the squad, clocked a zippy 41.85 to win the final in a championship record. Sha’carri Richardson’s absence from the women’s roster for Team USA did not cause much trouble to them. Meanwhile, there was heartbreak for Jamaican men.

Jamaican men could not qualify in the 4x400m relay. In their heat on Saturday, the quartet of Malik James King, Zandrion Barnes, Assinie Wilson, and Demish Gaye placed third in 3:02.46. McDonald replaced Barnes on Sunday in their second attempt but could only manage fifth in their heat in 3:05.09.

The last two spots for this event will be decided based on performances between December 31, 2022, and June 30, 2024. Now, the Jamaican team has to wait for that. As speculation swirls and disappointment simmers, one thing remains clear, Jamaica’s track and field saga has taken an unexpected turn. What do you think lies behind Jamaica’s no-show at the World Relays?