FORMER IAAF World Youth Championships 200m champion Ramone McKenzie was a surprise inclusion in the team named by the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) to take part in the NACAC Under-23 Championships to be held in Miramar, Florida, this weekend.

The Florida-based McKenzie, who was running in Jamaica for the first time since last year when he took part in the Supreme Ventures JAAA National Senior Championships recently, failed to make it to the final after he was one of three individuals running 21.56 seconds in the preliminary rounds and was 10th overall.

He was second in the second of four semi-final heats, losing to 20-year-old Orlando Hines, who went onto finish sixth in the final, in a personal best 21.41 seconds, behind Asafa Powell who won easily in 19.97.

Rasheed Dwyer, who was third in the race in 20.65, and Jason Livermore, who was last in he 200 metres final, were named in the 25-member team.

The JAAA’s selection policy as stated on their website states that athletes must compete in the National Championships unless an exemption has been granted by the JAAA.

Athletes placing in the top four positions in the 100 and 400m will be named to the relay pool. The remaining members of the pool will be selected by the JAAA Selection Committee.

As mandated by the IAAF, athletes who are selected to run individual 100/400 are automatic members of the relay pool.

It is a condition for selection that the athletes selected for the relay pool must be available when required for relay practice. Athletes who fail to make themselves available may not be allowed to participate in the competition.

Meanwhile, it is understood that newly-crowned senior men’s 100m champion Oshane Bailey, who was left off the published list, is to be added early this week.

Pan-Am Games 400mn hurdles gold medallist Nikita Tracey will head the female team that will also include 2008 World Junior Championships member Trish-Ann Hawthorne, long/triple jumper Melissa Ogbourne and Heptathlete Ann-Marie Duffus.

Team — Male: Michael Ashley, Jacques Harvey, Denard Coote, Peter Mathews, Hansel Parchment, Roxroy Cato, Sabiel Anderson, Odayne Richards, Raymond Brown, Nicholas Watson, Ramone McKenzie, Rasheed Dwyer, Teo Bennett and Jason Livermore.

Female: Ann-Marie Duffus, Trisha-Ann Hawthorne, Shanna Thomas, Audra Segree, Alecia Cutenar, Verone Chambers, Rosemarie Carty, Jhanelle Gordon, Nikita Tracey, Salcia Slack and Melissa Ogbourne.