Despite two medals in the women’s 4x100m and mixed 4x100m, Jamaica’s showing at the World Relays Guangzhou 25 was below par. It also means that Jamaica only qualified two teams for the Tokyo 2025 World Championships in September.
Two for Tokyo: Jamaica’s Relay Qualifiers Fall Short of Expectations
Jamaica’s 4x100m squad of Natasha Morrison, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Tina Clayton, and Shericka Jackson clocked 42.33 (SB) to secure third place in the women’s 4x100m final. Great Britain took the victory with a season-best 42.21, ahead of Spain in 42.28.
In the mixed 4x100m final, the quartet of Serena Cole, Krystal Sloley, Javari Thomas, and Bryan Levell, in that same order, held their nerves to finish second in 40.44, beaten only by Canada, who clocked 40.30. This event, however, will not be run at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships.
Zandrion Barnes, Tarees Rhoden, Demar Francis, and Rusheen McDonald secured Jamaica’s men’s 4x400m spot for Tokyo 2025 after finishing third in their heat of the World Championships Qualifying Round Two. They had failed to make the final on Day 1 of the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25. South Africa went on to win the men’s 4x400m in a world lead of 2:57.50.
Jamaica’s Mixed 4x400m Falls Short Again—Tokyo Hopes Fade
Jamaica’s mixed 4x400m team of Javier Brown, Kelly-Ann Beckford, Delano Kennedy, and Roneisha McGregor again failed in their second attempt to make the Tokyo 2025 World Championships. In the World Championships Qualifying Round Two, they only managed 3:14.42 for fourth in their heat, which qualified three teams.
Men’s 4x100m Misfires Twice—Jamaica Faces Tokyo Absence
The biggest disappointment—and second in two days—was the men’s 4x100m team, which again failed to finish the race and now faces the risk of missing Tokyo 2025. On Saturday’s opening day, after a good start from Rohan Watson, the baton exchange between second-leg runner Julian Forte and Yohan Blake was not made, leaving Kishane Thompson standing alone on anchor.
Again, on Sunday, the second chance slipped away as Thompson was left standing for the second time in two days. Watson blazed out of the blocks, but Forte pulled up and failed to hand off to Blake, who was already in stride but had to stop.
On Saturday, the women’s 4x400m team of Jodean Williams, Roneisha McGregor, Kelly-Ann Beckford, and Ronda Whyte finished at the back of their heat in 3:40.54. The Jamaican team, however, did not show up for the World Championships Qualifying Round Two, thus ending their hopes of making it to Tokyo 2025, at least for now.
Team USA sets new record at World Relays
Meanwhile, the United States set a championship record of 3:09.54 to win the mixed 4x400m, while Spain’s athletes stormed to another national record to win the women’s 4x400m in 3:24.13. South Africa topped the men’s 4x100m in a world lead of 37.61.
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