The 2025 Jamaica National Junior and Senior Championships begin this Thursday at 9:00 a.m. inside Kingston’s National Stadium, launching four days of fierce competition, historical farewells, and Olympic dreams in the making.
With 720 athletes—including 47 overseas entrants—entered across a record 104 events, the meet doubles as a qualifier for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September, and also serves to select squads for the Pan American Under-23 and NACAC Under-18 Championships.
The action opens with preliminary rounds of the men’s 100 meters, drawing 64 sprinters into eight heats, and concludes Sunday night with the iconic 4x100m relays. Thursday alone will feature a full slate of heats in the 100m, 400m, 800m, and hurdles, plus three senior finals—the men’s 5000m, women’s long jump, and women’s high jump.
But for fans across the nation and the diaspora, all eyes will be locked on Friday night’s men’s and women’s 100m finals, which promise explosive speed and emotional resonance. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica’s sprint queen, has confirmed this will be her final national appearance, aiming to write the perfect domestic ending to a legendary career.
JAAA President stresses unity and focus amid transition
Despite swirling headlines about the potential migration of four field event athletes to Turkey, Garth Gayle, president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), remains confident in the championships’ success and broader mission.
“As we look forward to the 2025 staging of the National Junior and Senior Championships, there comes a time when we have to deal with certain issues and concerns,” said Gayle.
“We ask all sport-loving Jamaicans to understand that the executive body, duly elected, is here to serve all stakeholders… Decisions have to be made in the best interest of all concerned.”
Gayle emphasized the rich blend of experience and emerging talent across the championships:
“We will see not only the returning stalwarts, but we also have young athletes who are gunning for places on the senior team to the World Championships in Tokyo. We will also see a group of Under-18 and Under-23 athletes vying for spots on the Pan Am team to Nicaragua.”
Thursday finals: Early titles on the line
While most of Thursday’s events will focus on advancing to the next rounds, three senior titles will be decided:
4:00 p.m. Men’s 5000m
4:02 p.m. Women’s long jump
6:10 p.m. Women’s high jump
Preliminary action begins at 9:00 a.m. and stretches into the evening with the women’s 100m heats at 6:50 p.m. followed by the men’s 100m preliminaries at 7:35 p.m., setting the stage for Friday’s electric sprint finals.
Farewell to a Queen: Fraser-Pryce’s last dance
There will be no dry eyes when Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce lines up for the women’s 100m heats on Thursday evening. The five-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist has announced this will be her final Jamaican championships.
“This is one of those moments I’m looking forward to… I have absolutely nothing to lose and all to gain,” she said in a recent statement.
But nostalgia will meet fire on the track. The women’s 100m is arguably the most loaded event of the meet:
- Shericka Jackson – Defending champion and reigning 200m world champion
- Tina & Tia Clayton – Twin prodigies sharpening into full-blown threats
- Alana Reid – 2023 national junior record holder
- Briana Williams – 2021 Olympic relay gold medalist
- Natasha Morrison, Jonielle Smith, and Shenese Walker (10.98 this year) – all capable of breaking 11 seconds
Notably absent is Elaine Thompson-Herah, Jamaica’s double Olympic champion in the 100m and 200m, who has not competed since 2024.
Men’s 100m: Thompson defends, Seville charges
In the men’s event, Kishane Thompson returns as the defending champion. After his blistering 9.77 victory in 2024 and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, Thompson leads the field once again with a world-class 9.88 from the Racers Grand Prix.
His biggest rival? Oblique Seville, who’s finished second (2022), third (2023), and second again (2024). Known for his consistency and 200m sharpness, Seville is primed for a breakthrough.
Add to that:
- Ackeem Blake – Known for his electric starts, recently recovered from injury
- Bryan Levell – The most improved sprinter in Jamaica, clocked 19.79 (+2.5) seconds in the 200m
- Yohan Blake – The veteran and former world champion
- Rohan Watson, Jehlani Gordon, and Gary Card – Young lions with nothing to lose
The bigger picture: Beyond the sprint spotlight
Despite the sprint buzz, the field events carry their own gravity—especially amid uncertainty surrounding the future of standout jumpers Wayne Pinnock and Rajindra Campbell, who are reportedly exploring a switch to Turkey. Neither athlete is expected to compete this weekend.
Still, for all the drama and intrigue, Gayle’s message remains one of focus and national pride: “These trials are not only a selection meet. They’re a reflection of our sporting identity.”
Jamaica’s athletic crown will shimmer brightly this weekend—not just because of fast times, but for what the sport means to its people. As the past, present, and future of Jamaican track and field converge at the National Stadium, expect fireworks on every stretch of the track and runway.
