We are on track to put on a good show at Worlds - Blake
President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association, Warren Blake, believes that Jamaican athletes have set up themselves for a great showing at the IAAF World Athletics Championships next year in Qatar after securing at least six wild cards from the recently concluded North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships.
The Jamaicans made use of the new IAAF rule that states that winners of their events at the four regional championships will be given wild cards to participate in next year's World Championship.
And with this in mind, the athletes won seven gold medals at the Varsity Stadium in Toronto.
BEST ATHLETES
"We now have seven confirmed entrants into the World Championships, so it means that once other people qualify, we should have quite a number of people in the World Championships next year," Blake told The STAR. "They were competing against some of the best athletes in the world who were vying for the spots too, and they performed well."
He continued: "We have an opportunity to show our dominance in some of these events, so it is up to the other athletes to compete well next season and meet the qualifying standards."
Hansle Parchment won the 110m hurdles in 13.28 seconds, but as he stated before the championship, he will not be able to take up his invitation because Omar McLeod is the reigning World champion in the event.
"We have a standard position that it is the defending champion that will go," Blake said about the situation.
For the first time, Jamaica will have an opportunity to field four athletes in the men's discus throw, a non-traditional event, as Fedrick Dacres won the event in 68.47m, with his teammate Traves Smikle finishing second with a throw of 65.46m.