Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) President Garth Gayle and Olympic gold medallist Donald Quarrie have both hailed the selection of at least 36 first-time members of the Jamaican track and field team to the Paris Olympic Games as a sign of continued development in the sport.

The 36 athletes represent just over half of the track and field team that was released earlier this week and sees a good blend of youth and experience.

“This is what development is all about, the juniors being able to hold their own against the seniors,” Gayle told the Jamaica Observer.

“It’s not just in the sprints but jumps and throws, continued developments across the board and we are very pleased.”

Quarrie, who will be part of the Jamaica Olympic Association’s delegation and will be working with the athletics team, described the numbers as “wonderful”.

“We don’t need to go back to any rebuilding phase,” he said. “We have the talent to take us through any transition period.”

Gayle told the Observer, “We have been seeing the continued rise of the juniors coming through the system, those who competed at the Boys’ and Girls’ Champions, the Carifta Games, and the World Athletics Under-20 Games as well and are now running side by side with the seniors.”

Gayle says that the structure was put in place to see the younger athletes excel from the first step.

“We are grateful for the work done by local-based coaches and even those at the high schools level as it is a vital aspect of our development,” he said. “Jamaica has a rich tradition in track and field and might I say, it will continue for quite some time.”

Gayle said the development was not only on the track or in the field.

“It’s not just the coaches, but our administrators, school principals, high school alumnus, all these groups play their part and they do serve a vital role in the continued development of Jamaica’s track and field and we’re looking forward to an excellent Paris Olympics.”

Among the first-time Olympians are athletes who have starred at the junior level are Jaydon Hibbert and Roshawn Clarke, who both broke World Under-20 records last year, and were medallists at the last two stagings of the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021 and the next year, 2022, in Cali, Colombia.

Newly minted 100m hurdles national record holder Ackera Nugent was a gold medallist in Nairobi, where 100m qualifier Tia Clayton was a gold medallist on the women’s 4x100m team.

Ackelia Smith, a finalist in the women’s triple jump, men’s 200m champion Bryan Levell and Ralford Mullings, the 2021 men’s discus throw silver medallist, are also part of the team.

Quarrie said he is looking forward to meeting the team members as soon as possible, especially the first-timers and said their success would also motivate the next set of athletes — those in high school and the college system. He hopes as many of the first-timers would be able to participate in the opening ceremony.

“This is one of the big traditions of the Olympic Games and it is great for the athletes to be part of it and you get a real feel of the Olympic spirit,” he said.

Quarrie said the future is bright for some of the young Jamaicans.

“Some will go far with guidance from their coaches,” he said. “They must, however, try to do more than just making it to the final but start pushing for podium spots.”

Other athletes who will be making their first appearances at the Olympics are 200m runners Niesha Burgher and Lanae-Tava Thomas; national 400m record holder Nickisha Pryce; 1,500m record holder Adelle Tracey; sprint hurdlers Janeek Brown and Danielle Williams; two-time World Athletics Championships 400m hurdles bronze medallist Rushell Clayton; Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lamara Distin; and discus thrower Samantha Hall.

Quarter-milers Junelle Bromfield and Stacey-Ann William will contest the individual events for the first time after they were part of relay teams at the 2021 Games in Tokyo, Japan, while Shashalee Forbes, Andrenette Knight and Charokee Young were chosen to run relays.

Sprinters Ackeem Blake, Kishane Thompson, Andrew Hudson and Bryan Levell; 400m runners Deandre Watkin and Jevaughn Powell are all debutants as well, while Sean Bailey was a relay team member in Tokyo three years ago.

National men’s 800m record holder Navasky Anderson; sprint hurdlers Orlando Bennett and Rasheed Broadbell; 400m hurdler hurdler Malik James-King; jumpers Wayne Pinnock, Romaine Beckford, Jordan Scott and throwers Roje Stone, Ralford Mullings, and Rajindra Campbell will also debut, while Jelani Gordon, Zandrion Barnes and Reheem Hayles were selected for the relays.

Despite a seasoned career featuring two 100m hurdles world titles, in 2015 and 2023, Jamaica’s Danielle Williams will be making her Olympic Games debut this summer. (Photo: Collin Reid)

GAYLE…we have the talent to take us through any transition period (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

QUARRIE…it is great for the athletes to be part of it and you get a real feel of the Olympic spirit.