WHERE ARE THEY?

WITH AN initial deadline for the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)/PUMA National Senior & Junior Championships having past on Sunday, the athletes’ entry list looks set to be finalised.

The National Championships is scheduled to be held from June 26 through to June 29 at the National Stadium, with several athletes competing for spots on the various senior and junior national teams.

For the seniors, Trials will determine the contingent set to represent Jamaica at the World Athletics Championships, with the junior athletes set to compete for spots at the NACAC U23 & U18 Championships and the Pan American U20 Championships.

Several key athletes have signalled their intent to represent Jamaica at the major championships, while there are a few absences that raise the eyebrows, even if they don’t cause surprises.

One such absence is the world’s fastest woman alive, Elaine Thompson-Herah.

Thompson-Herah, who holds personal bests of 10.54 seconds and 21.53 in the women’s 100m and 200m, respectively, is yet to compete this year and is notably absent.

In fact, the two-time double Olympic sprint champion last competed in June last year at the USATF New York City Grand Prix, clocking a time of 11.48 before limping off the track, injured.

Where Thompson-Herah is yet to return to the track since her injuries, her compatriots Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson have, and are registered to compete at Trials.

while both athletes are only registered for the women’s 100 metres, Jackson is the World Champion and holds a place while Fraser-Pryce had put the half-lap event to bed as she approaches her final hurrah.

Fraser-Pryce, the five-time 100m world champion, has only run two individual races this year, both in the 100m, and holds a season’s best of 10.94.

Jackson, however, has competed in the both the 100m and 200m throughout the season.

With her also holding the second-fastest-ever time in the half-lap event, her absence from the 200m has come as a surprise for many.

Twin stars Tia Clayton and Tina Clayton have both been enjoying an impressive season, and the duo will look to bring their form into Trials, having registered for both the 100m and 200m.

Tia will enter Trials with season’s bests of 10.92 and 23.09, while Tina holds a season’s bests of 10.98 in the shortest sprint.

They will be joined by Briana Williams in their sprint double pursuit as she is scheduled to contest both the 100m and 200m as well.

Williams, who has not gone below the 11-second mark since 2022, is looking to land her first individual spot on the senior national team following her previous roles as a member of Jamaica’s relay pools.

Other key names in the line-up include the likes of Kemba Nelson, Jura Levy, Krystal Sloley, Natasha Morrison, and Sashalee Forbes.

On the men’s side, Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson headlines a stacked field alongside Oblique Seville, with the two expected to be the front-runners for spots in Tokyo.

Thompson has only registered for the men’s 100m, while Seville is set to take part in the sprint double.

It will be Seville’s first time contesting the men’s 200m at the National Championships, where he holds a personal best of 20.13.

The man to watch, however, in the half-lap event will be Bryan Levell, who ran an impressive wind-aided time of 19.79 just recently.

Though the time will not stand as a new personal best, it is a major sign of improvement for the athlete who has run below the 20-second barrier just once in his career.

Christopher Taylor is also expected to turn heads at the National Championships, as the 400m man has moved away from his pet event, and will instead line up in the 100m and 200m.

Taylor, who has returned to the sport after a two-year suspension, holds personals bests of 10.11 and 20.35 in both events, which he had set back in 2018 during his time as a junior athlete.

Since his return this year, he has run 10.49 and 20.39 in the lead-up to Trials.

With the bulk of Jamaican medals from the Paris Olympic Games last year coming from field events, they will also command attention at the National Championships.

Men’s discus throw Olympic record holder and gold medallist Roje Stona is notably absent from the list of competitors.

Stona has only competed once this year, a 67.19-metre effort at the FBK Games earlier this month.

Fedrick Dacres, Chad Wright, and Ralford Mullings are three of the top names expected to excel in the event.

With world triple jump U20 record holder Jaydon Hibbert also absent from the sandpit this year, Jordan Scott has leaped to the forefront.

Scott has broken his personal best three times this year.

In Jauary, his personal best was 17.08 metres, and just last week he improved that to 17.34.

While the deadline has passed, athletes are still able to make last-minute entries, with a late entry deadline set for Thursday.

The late entry deadline, however, will cost athletes an additional $5,000 to submit their registration.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com