Jamaica will not have a women’s 4x400m relay team at the World Indoor Championships for the first time since 2012. The absence stems from athlete unavailability, following a disappointing Olympic performance in the relay. Despite this, several top athletes are set to compete, including long jumpers Tajay Gayle and Wayne Pinnock, and hurdles record holder Ackera Nugent.
Jamaica will not have a women’s 4x400m relay team at the upcoming World Indoor Championships for the first time since 2012. Acknowledged by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), 24 athletes and nine officials will participate in the championship, occurring from March 21-23 in Nanjing, China. Leah Anderson and Joanne Reid are the only ones named for the individual 400m, with Janieve Russell as a reserve, highlighting the lack of a relay pool.
This absence is alarming as it follows the men’s team failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics last year, marking a worrying trend for Jamaica’s 4x400m events. A JAAA source, speaking anonymously, indicated that several athletes were unavailable for the relay team before the championships. Last year, the women’s team faced a dramatic setback at the Olympics, where a dropped baton in the third leg cost them a chance at a podium finish.
Despite the setback in the relay category, Jamaica’s contingent has several top athletes ready to compete this year. Former men’s long jump world champion Tajay Gayle is a medal contender after ranking second in the world with a jump of 8.34 meters. Also competing is Olympic silver medallist Wayne Pinnock, who hopes to improve on his fourth-place finish from the previous World Indoors.
Rajindra Campbell, the first male Olympic shot put bronze medallist from Jamaica, will also participate. Furthermore, Ackera Nugent, the national record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles, will make her World Indoors debut, having recorded a season-best time of 7.75 seconds recently. Jodean Williams and Natasha Morrison will sprint in the women’s 60m, while Rohan Watson and Nishion Ebanks will compete in the men’s 60m.
In summary, Jamaica’s absence from the women’s 4x400m relay at the World Indoor Championships is a significant development, reflecting broader challenges faced in this event. While the men’s team previously struggled, the Jamaican athletes competing in individual events, including world-ranked long jumpers and a national record holder, indicate potential for success at this championship.
Original Source: jamaica-gleaner.com
