KINGSTON, Jamaica — The organisers of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) are expected to adjust the competition schedule of the National Junior and Senior Championships set for June 27-30 at the National Stadium to accommodate yet another attempt at qualifying for the men’s 4x400m relays on the final day.

Observer Online has been reliably informed that at a virtual meeting of stakeholders held on Friday, June 21, an option to run two rounds on Thursday’s opening day of the championships- the first round and the semi-finals- and run the final on Friday, was accepted.

The top 16 ranked runners will earn a bye through to the semi-finals, it was also heard.

The 4x400m relay would be the final event on Sunday which is also the closing date for athletes and teams to qualify for the Olympic Games to be held in Paris in August.

A Jamaican men’s team will need to run faster than 2:59.12 seconds to get into the 16 teams that will compete at the Olympics.

Jamaica are in the 17th spot with 2:59.34 seconds that a team ran for fourth place at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last year, while Zambia holds the 16th and last place and France are in 15th place with 2:58.45 seconds.

This would be Jamaica’s fourth attempt to qualify for the Olympics after failing twice at the first qualification attempt, the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas and also at the NACAC New Life Invitational that was also held in the Bahamas on Sunday.

— Paul A Reid