For the first time since 1968, Jamaica will not a have a men’s 4x400m relay team at the upcoming Paris Olympics after falling short in their final qualification attempt.
The team, consisting of Reheem Hayles, JeVaughn Powell, Kimar Farquharson, and Tarees Rhoden, ran 2:59.75 at the NACAC New Life Invitational in Nassau, Bahamas, on Sunday. Competing against a Barbados team and an international quartet, they were unable to surpass the 2:59.12 set by Zambia in March, which was needed to secure a place in the top 16 globally.
This marked Jamaica’s third attempt to qualify after two unsuccessful bids at the World Athletics Relays, also held in the Bahamas earlier in May. In those relays, the team placed third in their first-round heat, where only the top two teams would advance, and later finished fifth in the second qualifying run.
A total of 14 teams qualified from the World Relays, with the next best two teams based on times run during the qualification window being added. France, with a time of 2:58.46 from last year, and Zambia are currently the next best two teams qualified, as the qualification window closes on June 30.
This failure to qualify marks a significant setback, as it will be the first time in decades that Jamaica has not fielded a men’s 4x400m relay team at a major championship.
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