World Relays start today in Bahamas

The two-day World Athletics Relays begin this evening in the Bahamas with Jamaica having teams in all five events scheduled.

Action begins at 6:05 p.m. (Jamaica time) with the heats of the 4x400 metres mixed relay. Jamaica will run in heat one where their main rivals are the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands and hosts Bahamas. Favourites the United States will run in heat two.

A lot of focus will be on Jamaica’s women’s and men’s 4x100 metres teams. Most of the island’s top female sprinters are not in the Bahamas and they will struggle to get a medal in an event where the United States have sent a strong team. The American team will feature four of the athletes who helped their nation to top of the podium in Budapest: individual 200m silver medallist Gabby Thomas and Tamari Davis, who both raced in the final, are joined by heat runners Tamara Clark and Melissa Jefferson.

Jamaica’s team will be led by Natasha Morrison and Remona Burchell and should also include rising sprint star Alana Reid. Jamaica will run in heat two after the United States take the track in heat one. The first heat is set for 6:53 p.m. Jamaica time.

In the men’s event Jamaica will have a fairly strong team. The squad includes world indoor bronze medallist Ackeem Blake, world finalist Ryiem Forde and World University Games champion Kadrian Goldson. Jamaica will line up in heat three against Canada and Australia while their main rivals the United States are in heat one. The opening heat for the men goes off at 7:27 p.m. Jamaica time.

The heats of the women’s and men’s 4x400 metres will also be run this evening starting at 8:01 Jamaica time.