JAAA gives Bolt, Blake World Champs nod
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Reigning 100m World champion Yohan Blake has been given the automatic spot to the World Championship over training partner Usain Bolt, who also qualified as the event’s Diamond League winner.
But Bolt, who is the 200m World Champion, will get the automatic spot for that event over Nickel Ashmeade, the Diamond League 200m winner last year.
The decision was made by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) which ruled that defending world champions will take priority over Diamond League winners.
This is the first year the JAAA has been faced with the decision after the International Association of Athletics Federations last year ruled that Diamond League winners got automatic places to the World Championships.
Jamaica has two other Diamond League winners, two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Kaliese Spencer in the 400m hurdles.
