Serious snag for 4x400m women
Published:Wednesday | August 13, 2025 | 12:13 AMGregory Bryce/Staff Reporter
WITH THE end of the World Athletics qualifying period less than two weeks away, Jamaica women’s 4x400m relay team are toeing a perilous line in their bid for a spot at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships as they are the only team registered for the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Championships.
According to the NACAC Championships’ event schedule, Jamaica will be the only team lining up on Sunday in the women’s 4x400m relay event.
This leaves Jamaica in a less-than-ideal position as they are yet to punch their tickets to the World Championships.
The team had missed out on automatic qualification after a dismal showing at the World Athletics Relays earlier this year and are now aiming for one of the two remaining spots by earning a high enough world ranking.
The team currently sit on the bubble in the final qualification spot with their three minutes, 24.90 seconds (3:24.90) clocking at the Paris Olympic Games last year but are hoping to better that time to cement their spot.
The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) had highlighted the NACAC Championships as one of the meets to attempt a faster time and assembled the formidable quartet of Nickisha Pryce, Stacey-Ann Williams, Leah Anderson, and Dejanea Oakley.
However, according to World Athletics qualification standards, Jamaica’s time at the NACAC Championships will be considered invalid as relay events must have at least two different international teams to be considered for rankings.
“For the purpose of being ranked, the results of relay races will be valid only on the condition that they are part of a competition staged in compliance with World Athletics Rules and that at least two different international teams, representing at least two countries, compete in the event,” the World Athletics Qualification System and Entry Standards reads.
With the qualifying period closing on August 24, it will now be a race against time for Jamaica to secure their spot at the World Championships.
The situation also signals a growing concern with Jamaica’s relay teams as last year, the men’s 4x400m team missed out on qualification to the Paris Olympic Games.
The women’s 4x400m team, along with the men’s 4x100m and the mixed 4x400m relay teams, had also missed out on automatic qualification at the World Relays in May.
Since then, all three teams have achieved times fast enough to occupy the remaining two World Championships spots.
The men’s 4x100m team ran a speedy 37.80 at the London Diamond League last month to move into a non-automatic squad and the mixed 4x400m relay team currently sits on the bubble with a time of 3:11.06.
All three teams, however, do stand a chance of falling outside the qualifying spots should another national team post faster times before the August 24 deadline.