Saturday’s final day of the 2024 World Athletics Under-20 Championships was a productive one for Jamaica in the 4x100m relay as both the female and male quartets claimed gold medals.

The women combined to run a season’s best 43.39 to win gold ahead of Switzerland (44.06) and Canada (44.60).

200m bronze medallist Shanoya Douglas ran the first leg before handing off to Alliah Baker. Baker ran a solid leg before handing off to Briana Campbell who then gave the baton to individual 100m champion Alana Reid who then brought it home.

The men’s race was as exciting as they come with Deandre Daley producing a brilliant anchor leg to secure gold for Jamaica in 39.18 ahead of Great Britain (39.20) and Thailand (39.39).

Jamaica were on the back foot early after the opening leg from Jace Witter before the second and third legs from Gary Card and Nyrone Wade, respectively, meant that Daley got the baton in fourth and in striking distance of the top three.

Similar to what he did at the 2023 Carifta Games in Nassau, Daley then produced an excellent anchor leg comeback to secure the gold for Jamaica.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s Shaiquan Dunn threw 59.79m for seventh in the final of the men’s discus. The USA’s Bryce Ruland took gold with a personal best 62.59m ahead of The Netherlands’ Jarno Van Daalen (62.22m) and Finland’s Mico Lampinen (62.20).

The USVI’s Michelle Smith narrowly missed out on a medal in the women’s 400m hurdles final, finishing fourth in 57.21. France’s Meta Tumba took gold in a national under-20 record 55.59. Poland’s Wiktoria Gadajska ran a national under-20 record 56.87 in second while South Africa’s Hannah Van Niekerk was third in a personal best 56.98.

Jamaica’s female and male quartets both looked mightily impressive in the heats of the 4x100m relays on day four of the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru on Friday.

The female team comprising Sabrina Dockery, Alliah Baker, Briana Campbell and Alana Reid first combined to easily win their heat in 43.81, the fastest time in qualifying.

Puerto Rico, who ran a national Under-20 record 45.28 in second in that heat, also made it through to Saturday’s final.

On the men’s side, the team of Jace Witter, Gary Card, Nyrone Wade and Deandre Daley won their heat in 39.54, also the fastest time in the heats.

Trinidad & Tobago’s team of Che Jean-Marc Wickham, Kadeem Chinapoo, Hakeem Chinapoo and Dylan Woodruff will also be in the final after combining to run 39.77 to finish second behind the Jamaicans in heat four.

Jamaica’s women also advanced to the final of the Women’s 4x400m. Abrina Wright, Shanque Williams, Anecia Campbell and Nastassia Fletcher combined to run 3:38.04 to finish second in their heat behind Colombia who won in 3:38.01.

In the field, Jamaica’s Shaiquan Dunn threw 57.82m to advance to the final of the men’s discus.

Jamaica’s Chavez Penn and Cuban duo Gian Baxter and Anthony Martinez failed to make the podium in the men’s triple jump final at the World Under-20 Championships on what was another topsy-turvy day for Caribbean athletes in Lima, Peru.

With only the three women’s 100m medals credited to the Caribbean so far at the five-day championships, there were slight hopes that the tally might have been increased on Thursday’s third day of action, but it was not to be.

Martinez (15.00m) and Penn (14.71m) struggled for rhythm in the hop, skip, and jump event and, as such, placed 10th and 11th, respectively, while Baxter, who got into the final eight, placed sixth with a best leap of 16.58m.

Prior to that, only Jamaica’s Kerrica Hill and Cuba’s Jocelyn Echazabal progressed in the women’s 100m hurdles final, and it will also be a Jamaica-Cuba combination for the men’s 110m hurdles final, as only Richard Hall and Yander Herrera safely navigated the semi-final round.

Echazabal (13.31s) booked her spot in the final with a second-place finish in semi-final one, while Jamaica’s Habiba Harris (13.64s) placed

Hill continued her charge towards the gold medal, as she won semi-final two in a flat 13.00s, while Maya Rollins (13.96s) of Barbados finished down the track.

On the men’s side, Jamaica’s Daniel Beckford (13.80s) missed out, as he placed sixth in his semi-final.

Cuba’s Herrera placed fourth in his semi-final, but his 13.62s was good enough for one of the two non-automatic qualifying spots, while Jamaican Hall (13.44s) placed second in semi-final three, behind American Ja’Kobe Tharp, who clocked a World Under-20 leading mark of 13.11s.

The sprint hurdles finals are scheduled for 5:05pm and 5:25pm Jamaica time on Friday.

Meanwhile, Adaejah Hodge of British Virgin Islands and Jamaica’s Shanoya Douglas will be present in the women’s 200m final, while Carlos Brown of the Bahamas will be the sole Caribbean representative in the men’s event.

Hodge, the 100m silver medallist, topped semi-final two in an easy 23.18s, while Jamaica’s Sabrina Dockery (23.75s) placed fourth and missed out.

Douglas (23.34s) placed second in the third semi-final to secure her spot in the medal event.

Guyana’s Jackson Clarke (21.88s), Jamaica’s Romario Hines (21.68s) and Barbadian Aragorn Straker (21.30s), finished seventh, fourth and fifth in their respective semi-finals and missed out, as Brown Jr (21.19s) placed third and booked one of the fastest non-automatic qualifying spots.

The 200m finals are scheduled for 6:35pm Jamaica time also on Friday.

Defending champion Kerrica Hill was the fastest woman through to the semi-finals of the Women’s 100m hurdles on day three of the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru on Thursday.

The 19-year-old, who has raced sparingly this season, produced a comfortable 13.18 to win the first of eight heats on Thursday morning.

Joining her in the semis will be Barbados’ Maya Alexis Rollins and Jamaica’s Habiba Harris who ran 13.71 and 13.74 to finish fourth and second in heats eight and seven, respectively.

The Men’s sprint hurdles saw Jamaicans Richard Hall and Daniel Beckford both advance to the semi-finals.

Hall was the tenth-fastest qualifier overall after running 13.58 to win the third heat while Beckford advanced in a non-automatic spot after running 13.74 for fourth in heat one.

Elsewhere, 100m silver medallist Adaejah Hodge was the fastest through to the 200m semi-finals after winning her heat in 23.19.

Jamaica’s Shanoya Douglas and Sabrina Dockery also advanced to the semis scheduled for later on Thursday.

Douglas ran 23.51 to comfortably win her heat while Dockery ran 23.80 for second in hers.

In the Men’s equivalent, Guyana’s Jackson Clarke won heat two in 21.37 to advance while Bahamian Carlos Brown Jr finished second in heat six in 21.31 to get through.

Barbados’ Aragon Straker (21.23) and Jamaica’s Romario Hines (21.35) both advanced as non-automatic qualifiers.

Jamaica’s Shanque Williams will be the lone Caribbean representative in the women’s 400m semi-finals at the World Under-20 Championships, while Guyana’s Malachi Austin headlines four semi-finalists in the men’s event following contrasting performances in the morning session in Lima, Peru, on Wednesday.

It was an overall tough session for Caribbean representatives to start day two of the five-day championships, as only three men and three women progressed to the 400m hurdles semis, while only Jamaica’s Jade-Ann Dawkins progressed to the triple jump final.

Williams was the only athlete to progress to the semi-finals. She placed third in the sixth and final heat in 54.22s.

Prior to that, Cuba’s Camila Rodriguez (55.24s) and T’anna Liburd (55.91s) of St Kitts and Nevis were fifth and seventh in heat one, as both missed out.

Guyana’s Narissa McPherson also found the going tough in heat two, where she placed fifth in 54.67s. The same is true for Jamaica’s Abrina Wright (54.63s), who was sixth in heat three.

Another Guyanese, Tianna Springer (54.49s) and Tyhra Charles (55.87s) of St Vincent and the Grenadines, placed fourth and eighth, respectively, in heat five, as they also missed out.

On the men’s side of action, Puerto Rico’s Jarell Cruz (47.68s) progressed from heat two, where he placed third, while Jaylen Bennett (47.88s) of St Kitts and Nevis and Jamaica’s Jabari Matheson (49.34s) were fourth and fifth and missed out.

Another Jamaican, Kemario Bygrave, booked a spot in the semi-finals as he placed third in heat three in 47.39s.

Grenada’s Joshem Sylvester (48.49s) was sixth in heat four and missed out, along with Trinidad and Tobago’s Kyrell Thomas (48.02s), who placed sixth in heat six.

However, Guyana’s Austin (46.92s) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jaden Clement (47.63s) both progressed from heat five, where they placed second and third, respectively.

The semi-finals are scheduled for 5:45pm Jamaica time on Wednesday.

Earlier, only three Caribbean athletes progressed to the women’s 400m hurdles semi-finals following contrasting performances in their respective heats.

Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands led all qualifiers as she topped heat two in a brisk 57.85s to book her spot in the next round, while Kei-Mahri Hanna (1:04.84) of the Bahamas finished down the track.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Jenna-Marie Thomas (1:01.91) also missed out after she placed seventh in heat three, so too did Jamaica’s Deschanique Douglas (1:05.43), who placed ninth in heat five.

Jamaica’s Kelly-Ann Carr (1:00.61) and Haiti’s Gloria Guerrier (1:00.65) both progressed from heat four after they placed second and third, respectively, behind Australia’s Alesha Bennetts (59.04s).

Interestingly, the Caribbean will also have only three representatives in the men’s semi-finals, led by Jamaica’s Daniel Wright, who topped heat two in 51.42s to advance. Trinidad and Tobago’s Dorian Charles (53.65s) placed fifth in the same heat and missed out.

Cheyne West, another Trinidad and Tobago representative, placed fourth in heat five in a new personal best 52.18s, which was good to advance as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers.

The next non-automatic qualifying spot was secured by Jamaican Trevoy Smith, who clocked 52.15s for fourth in heat six.

Meanwhile, Taysha Stubbs, the Caribbean’s lone representative in the women’s javelin failed to progress. She placed 11^th in qualifying Group A with a best mark of 44.28m.

In the women’s triple jump, Jamaica’s Jade-Ann Dawkins will be the lone Caribbean representative in the final, as she placed fourth in qualifying Group B with a mark of 12.82m.

Her compatriot, Jaeda Robinson (12.53m) and Cuba’s Ariday Giron (12.21m), both missed out on the final after finishing 13^th and 15^th in qualifying Group A.

Jamaica’s shot putter Shaiquan Dunn and the mixed 4x400m relay quartet both failed to get the country on the medal board at the World Under-20 Championships despite credible efforts in their respective finals in Lima, Peru, on Tuesday.

With both finalists on the cards, expectations were high that Jamaica would bring the curtains down on the opening day of the five-day championships with at least one medal, but it was not to be.

The quartet of Demarco Bennett, Shanniqua Williams, Marcinho Rose, and Alliah Baker entered the final with the fastest time, but struggled to keep pace with the early front runners and had to settle for fourth at the end.

They clocked a season’s best 3:22.74, behind the Australians, who won in a national record of 3:19.27. Poland (3:20.44) and China (3:21.27) were second and third.

Meanwhile, Dunn, contesting the shot put final, took his time to get going and, as such, was unable to get anywhere close to his personal best of 20.01. He placed ninth as he failed to register a mark on his first attempt, but later hit 18.92m on his third round effort and just failed to squeeze into the top eight to secure three additional throws.

Cuba’s Emmanuel Ramirez was 10^th with a best throw of 18.42.

The Caribbean will be well represented in the men’s and women’s 100m finals at the World Under-20 Championships as the main protagonists safely progressed from their respective semi-finals in Lima, Peru, on Tuesday.

Jamaica’s Deandre Daley cruised to victory in semi-final one to lead the men’s qualifiers with his 10.34s. Japan’s Naoki Nishioka (10.43s) also progressed.

Another Jamaican and medal favourite, Gary Card, was beaten into third in semi-final two, but his 10.39s was good enough for one of the fastest non-automatic qualifying spots. The race was won by Thailand’s Puripol Boonson (10.30s), ahead of South African Bradley Nkoana (10.30s). Carlos Brown Jr (10.63s) of the Bahamas missed out.

The other finalists are Bayanda Walaza (10.33s) of South Africa, Teddy Wilson (10.35s) of Great Britain, and China’s Jinxian He (10.36s).

On the women’s side, Kishawna Niles of Barbados easily progressed from semi-final one, which she topped in 11.39s ahead of Great Britain’s Nia Wedderburn-Goodison, who was also timed at 11.39s. Dominican Republic’s Liranyi Alonso (11.89s) finished down the track and missed out.

Jamaica’s Olympian Alana Reid expectedly topped semi-final two in 11.44s, ahead of Nigerian Justina Tiana Eyakpobeyan (11.56s).

British Virgin Islands Olympian Adaejah Hodge (11.59s) booked her spot in the final as she placed second in the third semi-final behind Germany’s Chelsea Kadiri, who won in 11.52s. Puerto Rico’s Frances Colon (11.74s) was fourth but failed to secure one of the fastest non-automatic spots.

The 100m finals are scheduled for 6:30pm Jamaica time on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Lebron James of Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica’s Addison Alickson James both failed to progress to the men’s javelin finals. Lebron James threw a best of 62.67m for 13^th and Addison James mustered 60.58m for 15^th in Group A.

Two of the medal favorites in the Women’s 100m at the World Athletics U-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, Jamaica’s Alana Reid and BVI’s Adaejah Hodge, both successfully advanced from the heats on Tuesday’s opening day of the youth track and field showcase.

Hodge was first up, competing in the first heat alongside Caribbean counterpart Kishawna Niles from Barbados.

As expected, Hodge cruised to 11.45, the fastest time in the heats, to win ahead of Niles who will also be in the semifinals after running 11.63 in second.

Reid, Jamaica’s national junior 100m record holder, was up next in the third heat.

The former Hydel High standout, who represented her country in the Women’s 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics recently, ran a comfortable 11.46 to win her heat.

Dominican Republic’s Liranyi Alonso (11.77) and Puerto Rico’s Frances Colon (11.83) also booked spots in the semi-finals.

On the Men’s side, Jamaica’s Gary Card and Deandre Daley secured safe passage through to the semifinals.

Card, who has a personal and season’s best of 10.07 which he did to defeat Daley at the JAAA National Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston in June, eased to a time of 10.40 to win the fifth heat.

Daley, a 10.08 performer at his best, recovered from a stumble at the start of his race to cruise home in 10.37 to win heat six.

Bahamian Carlos Brown Jr (10.48) also made it through to the semis scheduled for later on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s quartet of Demarco Bennett, Nastassia Fletcher, Marcinho Rose and Alliah Baker advanced to the final of the Mixed 4x400m relay with a time of 3:24.77 to finish second in their heat behind Germany who won in 3:24.10.

In the field, Jamaica’s Shaiquan Dunn threw 19.53m to advance to the final of the Men’s shot put.

In the triple jump, Jamaica’s Chavez Penn barely booked a spot in the final, jumping 15.32m to take the twelfth and final spot, finishing just two centimeters ahead of Colombia’s Santiago Theran.

Trinidad & Tobago's Janae De Gannes produced 6.03m to advance to the final of the women's long jump.

Alana Reid, fresh from her Olympic Games debut in Paris recently, and Wolmer’s Boys’ Gary Card headline Jamaica’s team to the World Under 20 Championships, as standout triple jumper Jaydon Hibbert is among notable absentees.

Hibbert, 19, the World under-20 record-holder and defending triple jump champion, pulled out of the championship due to an injury sustained at the Paris Olympic Games, where he placed fourth.

United States-born Skyler Franklin, the winner of the under-20 girls’ 400m at the national championships and fifth-fastest in the world at this level with a best of 51.01 seconds, will also miss the championship as her paperwork to officially represent Jamaica is yet to be finalised.

Still, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has pooled together a talented 43-member squad, which should give a good account at the August 27-31 Championship in Lima, Peru.

Reid, who placed third in the 200m in Cali, Colombia, two years ago, was a member of the women’s 4x100m team, which finished fifth in Paris. She will contest the 100m in Peru, an event in which she is the under-20 world leader with her season’s best of 11.09 seconds.

Meanwhile, Card will be the highest-ranked Jamaican male at the meet, where his best of 20.50s puts him at number three in the 200m. He is fourth in the 100m with his season’s and personal best of 10.07.

Jamaica’s athletes will be targeting an improved medal haul from two years ago, when they captured a record 16 medals, the best-ever haul at these championships.

Team: Girls -Abigail Campbell, Abrina Wright, Alana Reid, Alliah Baker, Anecia Campbell, Briana Campbell, Deschanique Douglas, Habiba Harris, Jade Ann Dawkins, Jaeda Robinson, Kellyann Carr, Kerrica Hill, Nejhada Seymore, Natassia Fletcher, Rohana Sudlow, Sabrina Dockery, Shanaye Morris, Shanniqua Williams, Shanique Williams, Theiana-Lee Terrelonge

Boys -Chad Hendricks, Chavez Penn, Daniel Beckford, Daniel Wright, Deandre Daley, Demarco Bennett, Gary Card, Jabari Matheson, Jace Witter, Javaughn Pinnock, Junior Gallimore, Kemarrio Bygrave, Kyle Richards, Marcinho Rose, Nyrone Wade, Omary Robinson, Richard Hall, Romario Hines, Shadane Smith, Shaquan Dunn, Trevoy Smith.

Jamaica’s women’s 4x100m relay team put on a dazzling performance to smash the U20 world record at the World Athletics U-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia on Friday.

The quartet of Serena Cole, Tia Clayton, Kerrica Hill, and under-20 100m world champion Tina Clayton took apart the field to stop the clock at 42.59.  The mark improved on the previous record of 42.94, which was also set by a Jamaican quartet at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya last August.

The mark was also just outside of the 42.58 clocking set at the Carifta Games earlier this year, by Cole, Tina and Tia Clayton as well as Brianna Lyston, which was eventually rejected by World Athletics because one of the members of the team, Tina Clayton, was not drug tested at the completion of the race, due to a procedural issue. 

The United States were a distant second in the event but also set a new national record after clocking 43.28.  The USA was represented by Jayla Jamison, Autumn Wilson, Iyana Gray, and Shawnti Jackson.  The home team quartet of Maria Alejandra, Marlet Ospino, Melany Bolaño and Laura Martínez took bronze in 44.59.

In the men's equivalent the Jamaican quartet of Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, Bryan Levell, Mark-Anthony Daley, and Adrian Kerr crossed the line in third position behind South Africa and Japan but were upgraded to silver following the disqualification of South Africa.

Jamaica’s Briana Lyston continued the country’s dominance of the women’s sprint events after claiming the 200m title at the World Athletics U20 Championships, in Cali, Colombia on Friday.

After heading into the final as a heavy favourite, the inclement weather did very little to slow the young Jamaican speedster as she pulled away from the field to take the title with a time of 22.65.

America’s Jayla Jamison chased the Jamaican to the line, to finish second in 22.77, a new personal best.  Another Jamaican Alana Reid also clocked a personal best of 22.95 to take the bronze medal.

The Jamaicans also managed to add to their tally in the field, as high jumper Brandon Pottinger held his nerve to take the gold medal with a leap of 2.14m. Following a break in the competition due to a steady downpour,  the Jamaican was the only athlete of six to clear the height.  Brian Raats of South Africa and Bulgaria’s Bozhidar Sarâboyukov shared the silver medal with a mark of 2.10m.

Jamaica’s Alexis James and Kerrica Hill led all qualifiers to the semi-finals of the Women’s 100m hurdles as action continued at the World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia on Thursday.

James, who finished second behind Hill at the Jamaican National Junior Championships in June in 13.13, sped to a new personal best 13.04 to win heat five and advance at the fastest qualifier.

Hill, who ran a spectacular 12.98 to win that Jamaican junior title, ran a comfortable 13.30 to win heat one and progress.

In the 200m, favourite Brianna Lyston of Jamaica cruised to 23.56 to win heat two and comfortably advance.

Lyston’s teammate Alana Reid is also safely through after running 23.47 to win heat three.

The Dominican Republic’s Lirangi Alonzo Tejada ran a personal best 23.76 for second in heat four to also progress.

Heat six saw Cuba’s Yarima Garcia run a personal best 23.46 to win and advance.

In the 800m, Jamaica’s J’Voughnn Blake successfully advanced to the semi-finals after a 1:48.97 effort to finish fourth in heat six.

In the field, Bahamian Keyshawn Strachan threw 78.87m to lead all qualifiers to the final of the Men’s javelin.

Jamaica’s Jaydon Hibbert jumped out to 16.37m to advance to the final of the Men’s triple jump.

Bouwahjgie Nkrumie smashed the Jamaican national junior record to secure a silver medal in the Men’s 100m at the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia on Tuesday.

Nkrumie, who equaled the previous national junior record by running 10.11 in the semi-finals earlier, sped to a spectacular 10.02 for silver behind Botswanan sensation Letsile Tebogo, who ran 9.91 to break his own world junior record of 9.94 set at the World Championships in Eugene in July.

South Africa’s Benjamin Richardson ran 10.12 for bronze.

Jamaica’s quartet of Jasauna Dennis, Abigail Campbell, Malachi Johnson and Alliah Baker ran 3:19.98 for bronze in the Mixed 4x400m relay final behind the USA (3:17.69) and India (3:17.76).

In the field, Cuba’s Alejandro Parada jumped 7.91m for silver in the Men’s long jump. France’s Erwin Konate defended his title from last year with a world junior leading 8.08m while Brazil’s Gabriel Luiz Boza jumped 7.90m for third.

Jamaica’s Kobe Lawrence threw a personal best 20.58m for silver in the Men’s shot-put won by the USA’s Tarik O’Hagan (20.73m). Germany’s Tizian Lauria was third with 20.55m.

Jamaica’s Bouwahjgie Nkrumie equaled Yohan Blake and Christopher Taylor's national junior record of 10.11 to advance to the final of the Men’s 100m at the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia on Tuesday.

Nkrumie produced the record performance to win semi-final three and advance to the final scheduled for later on Tuesday. Grenada’s Nazzio John narrowly missed out on a place in the final despite a personal best 10.31 to finish third in semi-final three.

Jamaican National junior champion Sandrey Davison unfortunately fell to the track shortly after leaving the blocks after suffering an apparent leg injury in the second semi-final. Cuba’s Reynaldo Espinosa advanced as a fastest loser from that heat courtesy of a personal best 10.29 to finish third.

In the 110m hurdles, Antoine Andrews of the Bahamas ran 13.39 to win semi-final two and advance as the fastest qualifier. Jamaica's Demario Prince will join him in the final after a second-place finish in semi-final one in 13.58, a personal best.

Jamaican national junior 100m champion Tina Clayton showed fine form to advance to the semi-finals of the Women’s 100m at the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia on Tuesday.

Clayton, who ran 11.09 to win the World Junior title in Nairobi last year, cruised to 11.38 to win the first heat. The Edwin Allen High standout sped to a personal best and national junior record 10.96 to win the Jamaican junior title in June.

Lirangi Tejada of the Dominican Republic finished fourth in heat one in 11.66 to advance as a fastest loser.

Joining her in the semis will be high school teammate Serena Cole, who was equally impressive in heat two, running 11.38 for victory. 

Barbados’ Kishawna Miles ran 11.58 for third in heat three to advance.

In the 400m, Jamaica’s Dejanea Oakley won heat four in 53.70 to advance. Her teammate Rickiann Russell ran 54.63 to finish fifth in heat five and advance as a non-automatic qualifier.

Javonya Valcourt of the Bahamas also advanced as a non-automatic qualifier after finishing fifth in heat three in 55.31.

On the Men’s side, Jamaica’s Delano Kennedy and Shaemar Uter both safely got through to the semi-finals. Kennedy ran a personal best 46.24 for third in heat two while Uter finished second in heat three in 46.66.

Moving to the 400m hurdles, Michelle Smith of the US Virgin Islands was the second fastest qualifier to the semi-finals after running 58.33 to win the third heat. Jamaica’s Oneika McAnuff will also be in the semi-finals after a third-place finish in heat five in 59.45.

In the field, Jamaica’s Brandon Pottinger cleared 2.08m to advance to the final of the Men’s high jump.