There was no fortune for Caribbean countries at the backend of Saturday’s first day of the World Athletics Relays, as the various teams failed to progress in the men’s and women’s 4x400m events at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas.

In the female qualifiers, Jamaica’s quartet of Charokee Young, Ashley Williams, Junelle Bromfield, and Roneisha McGregor placed third in heat three in 3:29.03, behind Poland and France, who clocked 3:27.11 and 3:28.06.

Earlier, Cuba (3:31.56) and Dominican Republic (3:40.93) placed third and seventh, respectively, in heat two.

Ireland headlined the team’s that progressed, as they clocked a National Record 3:24.38 in qualifying. United States (3:24.76), Great Britain (3:24.89), Italy (3:26.28), Norway (3:26.89), Poland (3:27.11), and Canada (3:27.17), also booked their spots in the final, as well as for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, it was more of the same on the male side of action, as Trinidad and Tobago’s quartet of Asa Guevara, Timothy Frederick, Shakeem McKay, and Jereem Richards, clocking 3:04.15 for third in heat one, where Japan (3:00.98) and Germany (3:01.25) secured the coveted spots.

United States initially won the heat, but they were later disqualified for an infringement.

Jamaica’s Malik James-King, Zandrion Barnes, Assinie Wilson, and Demish Gaye, clocked 3:02.46 for third, behind Belgium (3:00.09) and Nigeria (3:01.70). Guyana (3:09.91) was eighth in that heat.

The Bahamas (3:07.45) placed sixth in heat three, which was won by Italy (3:01.68), ahead of the fast-finishing Great Britain (3:02.10).

In the last heat, Barbados (3:03.72) and Dominican Republic (3:08.15), placed third and sixth, respectively, as Botswana (2:59.73) and South Africa (2:59.76) took the top spots.

Despite missing out on this occasion, the teams will have another shot at Olympic qualification in Round 2 action on Sunday.

Janieve Russell can now call herself a five-time Jamaican champion after she won a thrilling 400m hurdles final on day two of the JAAA/Puma national Senior and Junior Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on Friday.

Russell, the reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist, produced a season’s best 53.75 to hold off the fast finishing Andrenette Knight (53.78) and Rushell Clayton (53.81) who finished second and third.

For Knight, this serves as redemption. Last year, she missed out on a national title after falling with 100m to go in the final after leading the whole race.

On the men’s side, Roshawn Clarke produced one of the performances of the Championships to win his maiden national senior crown.

Clarke, still only 19, brought the National Stadium crowd into a frenzy with a brilliant, world junior record-equaling 47.85. Clarke’s time also puts him second on Jamaica’s all-time list for the event behind Winthrop Graham’s 47.60 done in 1993.

Commonwealth Games silver medallist and three-time national champion, Jaheel Hyde, was second in a season’s best 48.45 while Assinie Wilson ran a massive personal best 48.50 for third.