KINGSTON, Jamaica— US-based track and field fans could get to see the Jamaican men’s and women’s relay teams in action again at the Penn Relays next April as the organisers have teamed with World Athletics to include competition between national teams.

In a release published on their website Tuesday, organisers of the three-day event set for the final weekend of April said, in addition to “bringing back some of the most premier college programs in the country and welcoming the top high school talent from the United States and Caribbean Islands, the Penn Relays in partnership with World Athletics are excited to announce the addition of the Global Relays for the upcoming year.”

The release said, “The Penn Relays is proud to welcome athletes from around the globe to Philadelphia…We are honoured to build on the rich history by providing an opportunity for international relay teams and individuals to compete as they prepare for the World Relays and Olympic Games this year.”

The races which will be called ‘Global Relays’ “will bring in countries from all over the world to compete in the 4×100 and 4×400 for both men and women. For the upcoming Penn Relays, over 12 nations have already expressed their intent to compete including some of the best in the world in their respective events ahead of the 2024 Olympic year.”

The Global Relays will replace the ‘USA vs The World Relays’ that were staged by United States Track and Field and its corporate sponsors.

-Paul A Reid