Renowned Jamaican born athletics coaches Stephen Francis and Glen Mills have publicly criticized the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association, (JAAA), and the Jamaica Olympic Association, (JOA), for what they describe as gross incompetence and insufficient support for the country’s track and field athletes, potentially jeopardizing their participation in the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.
Francis, known for his no-nonsense approach, lambasted the JAAA for its handling of the men’s 4x400m relay team’s qualification efforts in an interview with Sports Max. He expressed frustration over the country’s recent failed attempts to qualify, with the team of Reheem Hayles, JeVaughn Powell, Kimar Farquharson, and Tarees Rhoden clocking 2:59.75 at the NACAC New Life Invitational in the Bahamas, falling short of Zambia’s 2:59.12 set in March.
This marks Jamaica’s third unsuccessful attempt at qualification following previous failures at the World Athletics Relays in May. Currently, France and Zambia occupy the final qualifying slots, with Jamaica racing against time to secure a place before the June 30 deadline. Failure to qualify would be a historic absence for Jamaica from the men’s 4x400m relay at major championships.
Francis criticized JAAA President Garth Gayle for appointing individuals lacking senior athletics expertise, arguing that the country’s reliance on school principals and high school coaches for senior team decisions leads to poor outcomes. He also proposed solutions for qualification, suggesting the scheduling of a 4x400m relay during the National Senior Championships from June 27-30, involving international teams to facilitate the qualification effort.
Source: Positive Caribbean and Latin America News: Daily Updates from News Americas