With the 2025 World Athletics Championships fast approaching, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has outlined an urgent and strategic plan to secure relay spots for Tokyo.
Three of the country’s relay teams, the men’s 4x100m, women’s 4x400m, and mixed 4x400m, are yet to meet the qualifying standards, and time is quickly running out.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday ahead of the June 26–29 National Championships, JAAA Executive Board Member and Chairman of Competitions, Ian Forbes, confirmed that the association has identified three crucial international meets where these teams will push to secure their Tokyo tickets.
“We have been looking for opportunities to facilitate their qualification,” Forbes stated, as reported by Sportsmax.
“I can announce that from July 5, in Barbados, there will be a meet that includes relays. On July 19, the London Diamond League will also host relays, and from August 15–17, the NACAC Senior Championships will offer another opportunity for our teams to qualify.”
These meets represent Jamaica’s final opportunities to either improve their global rankings or meet the qualification standards ahead of the late August deadline. The men’s 4x400m team has already secured its place, but the sprint relay and both 4x400m variants remain in a tight race against time.
Forbes emphasized that the JAAA is actively working with coaches and athletes to ensure the best available line-ups at each event.
“We are coordinating closely to assemble competitive teams that can get the job done,” he added.
In addition to the relay qualification plan, Forbes confirmed a return to the traditional three-round format for the men’s 400m at this year’s National Championships. Last year’s four-round structure was a special adjustment to support Olympic relay readiness, but this year’s format aims to strike a balance between athlete welfare and competition integrity.
“It would have been unreasonable this year to ask them to compete in a relay at the championships after running three rounds of the 400m,” Forbes noted.
The 2025 National Championships also promise to be the biggest in the event’s history, featuring a record-breaking 104 events across Under-18, Under-20, and senior categories. Organizers have entered 720 athletes, including 47 non-Jamaicans seeking qualification opportunities unavailable in their home countries.
Among the highlights are the Decathlon and Heptathlon for Under-18 athletes, as well as an Open Masters category for older competitors. All competitions will follow World Athletics regulations, including doping controls.
A technical meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24, to finalize competition details such as starting heights for vertical jumps and other procedural matters.
“Our focus is to deliver a technically sound, fair, and world-class championship,” Forbes concluded.
“While giving our athletes every possible opportunity to meet qualification standards and prepare for Tokyo.”