Despite scheduled to arrive in Eugene, Oregon, in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, the Jamaican team’s technical leader, David Riley, says he does not expect the long trip to the north-western United States will affect his athletes’ performance at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships which is to begin Wednesday.

The 60-member delegation, including 43 athletes, is due to leave Jamaica today from Kingston and scheduled to reach Portland, Oregon, just after 10:30 pm Pacific Standard Time (PST), after flight connections through Miami and Dallas.

The team is to then travel approximately 110 miles by bus from Portland to Eugene.

Jamaican sprinter Shanoya Douglas

The World U-20 Championships is set to start on Wednesday at 10:00 am PST (12:00 pm Jamaica time), with the first two rounds of the men’s and women’s 100m, the first round of the men’s 800m, and both rounds of the mixed 4x400m relays.

Riley says the management of the team had taken precautions to ensure the young athletes will be ready to go when the action starts.

“Our travel plans are not taken in ignorance,” Riley told the
Jamaica Observer on Sunday. “We have sought information and expertise on how to manage the trip, like when to eat and take on hydration, and we will be okay.”

RILEY…we have sought information and expertise on how to manage the trip, like when to eat and take on hydration, and we will be okay (Photo: Observer file)

He said team members are in good health and are ready to compete, while noting in a previous interview that the “best athletes available” had been selected.

World Under-20 100m leaders Gary Card and Shanoya Douglas lead the Jamaican medal hopefuls, with discus thrower Joseph Salmon and triple jumper Michael-Andre Edwards also expected to be in the running for medals.