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• Organizing Committee Chairman expects this year’s National Championships to be “best ever”

  Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships, Ludlow Watts, expects this year’s edition of the championships to be the “best ever” in terms of competitiveness.

  This year’s championships are set to get underway on Thursday, June 27 at the National Stadium in Kingston and run until Sunday, June 30.

  According to Watts, over 680 athletes in both the junior and senior categories have entered ahead of Thursday’s start.

  The days, start times and end times (Jamaica time) are as follows:

  Thursday, June 27 9:00am-8:45pm, Friday, June 28 9:30am-9:58pm, Saturday, June 29 9:48am-7:45pm, Sunday, June 30 10:01am-8:05pm.

  The opening ceremony will be held at 6:00pm on Friday.

  “We expect to have tremendous support,” Watts said at a press conference on Monday hosted by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA).

  He also acknowledged concerns fans may have about a number of Jamaica’s top athletes ahead of the meet but noted that, as of now, nobody of note has pulled out.

  “A number of people have been having concerns about some of our star athletes. We are not aware of any withdrawals as yet,” he said.

  “People must try not to miss these championships because they will probably be the best ever in terms of competitiveness. A number of young stars are emerging and I think it makes it interesting,” Watts added.

   Among the events expected to be the most competitive are the men's and women's 100m finals. On the men's side, while Oblique Seville is the only Jamaican to run below 10 seconds this year with his 9.82 at the Racers Grand Prix, 18 Jamaican men have already run faster than 10.20 this season heading into the championships.

  The women's side is also expected to be more competitive than it's been in a long time due to some questions about the readiness of Jamaica's big three- Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah- coming into the championships.

  Fraser-Pryce is coming off a knee procedure and made her season debut just nine days ago at the JAAA Olympic French Foray with 11.15. Jackson has looked far from her best so far this season. She has had a pair of wins on the Diamond league circuit in the 200m with times of 22.82 in Marrakech and 22.69 in Stockholm as well as a fifth place finish in 22.97 in Oslo. In her only 100m of the season, Jackson ran 11.03 at the JAAA All Comers meet on May 4.

  Thompson-Herah, the reigning double Olympic champion, is the biggest question mark coming into the championships. In her two races this season, she has finished last both times with 11.30 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene and 11.48 at the USATF New York Grand Prix. After the race in New York, sha had to be carried off the track with an Achilles injury, the same injury that hampered her 2023 season as well.

  With the big three seeming as vulnerable as ever, a number of contenders will fancy themselves to knock them off the podium at these championships and secure their spot on the team to the Paris Olympics.

• Jamaica to make final push for Olympic 4x400m relay qualification at National Championships

  In a last-ditch effort to qualify its 4x400m relay team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jamaica will stage a special race on the final day of the Jamaica National Championships in Kingston on Sunday, June 30. This follows three previous attempts, the latest of which took place on June 16 at the New Life Invitational in the Bahamas. There, the team of Reheem Hayles, JeVaughn

  Powell, Kimar Farquharson, and Tarees Rhoden clocked 2:59.75, just shy of Zambia's 2:59.12 mark set in March.

  JAAA Vice President Ian Forbes cited a lack of competition as a key factor in the previous failure but expressed optimism about the upcoming attempt. "We have been looking at the possibility of staging a race at our championships and I am happy to report that there will be a 4x400m race at the national championships to facilitate qualification," Forbes announced at a press conference on Monday.

  

  JAAA Vice President Ian Forbes

  Forbes elaborated on the necessary conditions for the race to be considered a legitimate qualifier. "For the record, at least two countries must be present in the race for it to be ratified as a bona fide race and will count towards qualification," he explained. “I am happy to report that Jamaica will be represented and we have a team from St Vincent and the Grenadines. Jamaica’s representation will not be only one team, we’ll have a number of teams and we are also working on another country and an international team as well.”

  In anticipation of the relay, the championship schedule has been adjusted to give the 400m runners the best chance to achieve the qualifying time while ensuring their safety. "We have consulted with stakeholders, athletes, coaches, agents; and we would have had at least two meetings, heard recommendations and we can now confirm that race will be run the final day of the championships, the 30th of June at 8:05 pm at the national stadium," Forbes stated.

  To prevent overburdening the athletes, the schedule has been crafted meticulously. "On Thursday, the 27th at 10 am, there will be a preliminary round for some of the athletes in the 400m. So the top-ranked 16 athletes will be advanced to the semi-finals," said Forbes. “The remaining athletes will compete in the preliminary round at 10 am on Thursday morning. From those preliminaries, the top eight will join the 16 and be placed in one of three semi-finals which will be run at 6:50 pm on Thursday.

  “In the semi-finals, the top two from each heat and the next two fastest losers will be advanced to the final that will be run at 8:50 pm on Friday. On Saturday, the 400m runners will be free so they will have time for recovery.”

  Forbes continued: “Initially, the final was set for Saturday. Their (athletes) health, safety and well-being must be at the forefront of everything so they will be resting on Saturday and I am happy to announce that the JAAA will be assisting in their recovery in respect to equipment, technology to help them recover and be fresh for the race on Sunday.”

  The effort has garnered financial support, with two companies pledging a combined total of one million Jamaican dollars towards the participants in the race. "It will be a tiered approach and once the qualification time is attained the full million will be allocated to the participants in that race. Those two companies are Fleetwood Jamaica Limited and Tile City," Forbes announced.

  Forbes expressed confidence in the athletes' ability to qualify. "We are confident that our athletes will be successful. They have given their commitment to participate, we have worked together and some of the critical recommendations were put forward by the athletes," he said.

  As the final day of the championships approaches, the Jamaican team and its supporters remain hopeful that this last attempt will secure their place in the 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics, continuing the nation's rich tradition in the event.

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Jamaican government to support Olympic athletes with funds for Paris 2024 preparation

  In a significant show of support for its athletes, the Jamaican government announced on Monday that it will provide financial assistance to every Jamaican athlete who qualifies for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. This initiative, revealed by Sports Minister Olivia Grange at a press conference hosted by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), underscores the country’s commitment to ensuring its athletes are well-prepared for the global event.

  Minister Grange disclosed that each athlete who qualifies this weekend will receive JMD$360,000. "For nutrition and just to help them to get ready," Grange stated, emphasizing the importance of proper preparation and support for the athletes. This financial boost aims to cover essential needs such as nutrition, training, and other preparatory activities critical for peak performance.

  Furthermore, Minister Grange announced an additional incentive for the athletes and their support teams. "After the Olympics, we have set JMD$50 million aside," she said. "So after the Olympics, the athletes will receive funds, those who medal, those who didn’t medal and even the supporting team, everybody will get a little something," she said, crucially recognizing the collective effort required to compete at the highest level.

  The announcement comes just days before the Jamaica National Championships, scheduled to take place from June 27-30, 2024, at the National Stadium in Kingston. This event will be a crucial opportunity for athletes to qualify for the Paris Olympics, with the new financial support adding an extra layer of motivation.

  As the National Championships approach, athletes and their support teams can now look forward to the prospect of competing on the world stage in Paris with the backing of their government, further fueling their drive to succeed.