TOKYO, Japan, , (CMC) – A botched handover on the final leg of Jamaica’s men’s 4×100 metre relay summed up a mostly disappointing day for Caribbean athletes on the penultimate day of the 2025 World Athletic Championships here on Saturday.
With the Jamaicans struggling to make up ground in the opening heat following a slow start on the first two legs by Ackeem Blake and 100 metre champion Oblique Seville, third-leg Ryiem Forde failed in his attempt to hand over the baton to Kishane Thompson on the last leg, resulting in them not finishing the race.
However, Jamaica’s female quartet of Jodean Williams, Tia Clayton, Tina Clayton and Jonielle Smith made no mistakes on their way to securing a berth in the women’s final after winning Heat 1 in a season’s best time of 41.80 seconds, well ahead of Spain (42.53) and France (42.71).
In the men’s 4×400 metres event, Jamaica’s team of Bovel McPherson, Jevaughn Powell, Jasauna Dennis and Delano Kennedy advanced to the final after placing fourth in Heat 2 in a season’s best 2:59.13.
Their female team of Dejanea Oxley, Stacey Ann Williams, Roneisha McGregor and Nickisha Pryce also qualified for the final by winning Heat 1 in a world leading time of 3:22.77.
Navasky Anderson of Jamaica finished seventh in the final of the men’s 800 metres in a new national record of 1:42.76, breaking his own record of 1:43.72 which he set in the semifinal.
On the field, Jamaica’s trio of Chad Wright (62.87 metres), Fedrick Dacres (60.54) and Ralford Mullings (56.82), all failed to advance to the final of the men’s discus throw.
Lloydricia Cameron of Jamaica (17.77 metres) was eliminated in the heats of the women’s discus throw along with Dominica’s Treneese Hamilton (17.68) and Grenada’s Kelsie Murrel-Ross, whose effort was measured at 16.19 metres.