Migrations won’t dampen Trials – JAAA boss

PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA) Garth Gayle remains optimistic ahead of today’s National Junior and Senior Championships, despite recent news surrounding the expected migration of four of the country’s top field events athletes to Türkiye.

“As we look forward to the 2025 staging of the National Junior and Senior Championships, there comes a time when we have to deal with certain issues and concerns. We ask all sport-loving Jamaicans to understand that the executive body, duly elected, is here to serve all stakeholders of the sport of track and field. As we do so, decisions have to be made in the best interest of all concerned,” said Gayle.

“Today, we will see not only the returning stalwarts, but we also have young athletes who are gunning for places on the senior team to the World Championships in Tokyo in September. We will also see a group of under-18 and under-23 athletes vying for spots on the Pan Am team to Nicaragua,” continued Gayle.

Gayle is hoping for four days of injury-free competition for all athletes.

“We are praying that all goes well and our athletes come through four days of competition without injuries and attain the necessary standards, so we can, as usual, send our strongest teams to these competitions,” he added.

THANKFUL FOR SUPPORT

“Finally, as head of the technical committee, I would like to thank all officials, including medical staff, for their continued support – our spectators and our sponsors. Despite the support being small this time around, we are happy for the cause,” he said.

Some 720 athletes are down to compete over the four days, including 47 non-Jamaicans – surpassing last year’s total of 647. A record 104 events will take place.

Action will get under way today at 9 a.m. with the qualifying round of the men’s 100m, where 64 athletes will compete in eight heats. The fastest seven based on time will advance to the preliminary round later in the day at 7:35 p.m., where they will join 25 seeded athletes vying for tomorrow’s semi-finals and finals.

Before that, at 6:50 p.m., there will be preliminary round action in the women’s 100m – one of the events fans will be eagerly awaiting.

Heat one will feature defending champion Shericka Jackson and Natasha Morrison; heat two will see Tia Clayton, Alana Reid, and Jonielle Smith; heat three will feature Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; while Tina Clayton and Briana Williams will be in heat four.

Preliminary round action in the women’s and men’s 400m hurdles, along with the 400m, will also take place today. The women’s 400m hurdles will start at 4:50 p.m., followed by the men at 5:10 p.m.

Some 26 athletes will compete in the women’s 400m at 8:05 p.m., while 52 athletes will take to the track for the men’s 400m at 8:25 p.m.

Today will also see first-round action in the 800m. The women’s event, involving 26 athletes, will start at 8:05 p.m., while the men’s 800m, which will see 32 athletes, will follow.

There will be three senior finals on today’s programme, including one on the track - the men’s 5000m at 4 p.m. The women will contest two field events finals: the long jump at 4:02 p.m. and the high jump at 6:10 p.m.