Jamaica’s relay hopes just took a gut punch. But is this really how the story ends? Absolutely not. When you hear “Jamaica” in track and field, you think of unstoppable forces: Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Elaine Thompson-Herah. So imagine the shock when Jamaica’s men’s 4x100m relay team, including Kishane Thompson, failed to even reach the final at the World Athletics Relays, botching a baton pass and finishing 11th in their heat. That stumble cost them automatic qualification for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. But let’s be clear: Jamaica isn’t down for the count. Thanks to the World Athletics Ranking system, there’s still a route to Tokyo. How?
Right now, it’s all about the clock and the rankings. Jamaica’s men’s 4x100m team sits at 11th among non-automatic qualifiers, and they need to claw their way into the top two spots to qualify. Specifically, they need to beat Brazil’s time of 38.40 seconds. The women’s 4x400m team is in a similar fight, aiming to beat the Czech Republic’s 3:25.31. Even the mixed relay team, with a season-best of 3:14.42, isn’t safe yet.
With the qualification window slamming shut on August 25, 2025, the pressure is on. So, what is the way? That’s why all eyes are now on the NACAC Championships, happening August 15-17, 2025, in Nassau, The Bahamas. This isn’t just a regional meet — it’s Jamaica’s golden opportunity for a comeback. The North American, Central American, and Caribbean (NACAC) Championships offer a direct path to Tokyo.
Win your event? You’re in. No questions asked. This is an opportunity for teams such as Jamaica’s to rectify what they did not do well in the World Relays. A win or not, NACAC is laden with ranking points that can give Jamaica extra chances. Young stars such as Kishane Thompson could be faced with a career-defining moment to stand up and lead. But what about the competition?
The athletes from 37 countries are uniting for the NACAC championships at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. This is not a warm-up—it is a battlefield. The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) understands the stakes involved. They’ll be looking to put out their best relay teams to make sure that these performances go towards the world rankings.
But time is running out. Post-NACAC, chances for improving rankings will be scarce. Each second saved on those relay times could translate to taking a flight to Tokyo in place of watching from the comfort of one’s home. Jamaica’s redemption hopes lie deep in the 23-year-old sprint sensation Kishane Thompson, part of the relay squad at the World Relays, but surprisingly, he did not run.
What? Yes, you read that right. Sure, there was raw speed and rising star status, but Thompson did not get a turnout on the track in the relays. The reason?
Kishane Thompson left on the sidelines as Jamaica’s relay dream crumbles at World Relays
The Jamaican men’s 4×100m relay team in the 2025 World Relays consisted of Rohan Watson, Julian Forte, Yohan Blake, and Kishane Thompson, but their experience became a nightmare. On the 10th of May, all was going well, with Watson providing a good start, and all was not too bad until it came to the baton changeover between Forte & Blake, where disaster struck.
They had messed up the handoff, and instantly the team had gone from second place to almost nearly the last, in the blink of an eye. The worst part? Thompson, who was waiting around for him to get his turn to run, never even got a chance to touch the baton. That one was not a walk in the park for Thompson, at least. On 11th May, the next day, there was a day of hope as the country had grounds for hope in the repechage round to qualify the country.
So, what happened there? Repeat! Again, Watson had made a good start, and as soon as the baton was required to come to Forte and Blake, everything went wrong. The runner who was supposed to take the baton on the second leg, Julian Forte, appeared to have a hamstring issue when he was running, approaching his teammate Yohan Blake on the back straight.
Forte attempted to get over the pain and attempted to finish the race and pass the baton to Blake. However, in trying to stagger through, he fell, and the baton change was a no-show. And for the third time, Kishane Thompson did not get the baton. It was a big disappointment for the team, especially because Forte had to be taken from the track in a wheelchair.
The dreams of taking the team to the World Championships by the Jamaican team were shattered, but with all the disappointments, there is still a ray of hope for them to revive in the NACAC Championships.
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