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Withdrawals force Jamaica out of women’s 4x400m, 400m at World Indoors
March 10, 2026
Jamaica scrapped their participation in the women's 4x400 metres at the upcoming World Athletics Indoors Championships because the squad has been depleted due to the withdrawal of Nickisha Pryce and rising starlet Shanoya Douglas.
Both athletes were in the pool of athletes selected for the relay.
Pryce was also slated to be Jamaica's lone competitor in the women's individual 400m event.
Up to press time, no reason had been listed for the withdrawals.
However, it is surprising that Douglas was named to the World Indoors team. She was outstanding at the Carifta Trials at the weekend, and she is also in high gear to represent Holland High at the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships, which is set to run from March 24-28 at the National Stadium in Kingston.
The World Indoors is set to take place in Torun, Poland from March 20-22.
The Carifta Games will be held on the Easter weekend that follows Champs.
Despite a number of late withdrawals, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) was still able to name a competitive unit.
This year's team will be headlined by Kishane Thompson, who will line up in the men's 60 metres alongside Ackeem Blake and Bryan Levell.
Thompson and Levell currently hold two of the top five fastest times this year, while Thompson is fourth in the world with a season best 6.46 seconds. Levell is ranked fifth with 6.47.
Blake is the third-fastest Jamaican in the world this year, and sits joint-eighth with his season best 6.48.
In the women's 60m, Jonielle Smith and Brianna Lyston will be Jamaica's representatives, with Tina Clayton selected as a reserve member.
Smith is the joint-sixth fastest woman in the world over the distance this year with her best of 7.04, just ahead of Lyston, who ran 7.07 this year.
Jamaica will be represented in the men's 800m by Navasky Anderson, the national indoor 800m record holder. He leads the way with a personal best 1:44.75.
Anderson was to have competed alongside compatriot Rivaldo Marshall, the second-fastest Jamaican over the distance.
However, Marshall was another late withdrawal from the roster yesterday afternoon.
Jamaica will look to defend their indoor silver medal in the men's 4x400m relay, selecting a line up of Delano Kennedy, Reheem Hayles, Kimar Farquharson, Tyrice Taylor, and Demar Francis in the relay pool.
Farquharson and Francis are the only two members to return from the quartet that won silver at last year's World Indoors.
Jamaica will also be represented in the field events, where Lamara Distin will be Jamaica's lone competitor in the high jump.
Nia Robinson will be Jamaica's lone competitor in the women's long jump, while Carey McLeod and Tajay Gayle will compete in the men's long jump.
Jamaica will be represented by Jordan Scott in the men's triple jump, while Shantae Foreman will compete in the women's equivalent.
In 2025, the team picked up two silver medals and two bronze to place 17th overall.
