Ja to compete in Global Relay on final day of Penns

A Global Relay event which is expected to attract several sprint and 4x400 metres teams from across the world will be one of the main features on the final day of the 2024 Penn Relays.

President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association, Garth Gayle, has revealed that Jamaica will be among the participating nations.

"We will definitely be sending teams to this event as it will help the athletes to fine-tune their changes for the World Relays in the Bahamas and the Paris Olympics," Gayle said.

Gayle was unsure whether Jamaica's leading sprinters will be available for the Global Relay and the World Relays.

At this stage we are not certain about the participants as we are working on this but as long as our top senior athletes are available they will be selected," said Gayle.

In a recent statement, Pierce O'Callaghan, head of competition management for World Athletics, gave his full support to the Global Relay.

"Bringing a top level competition opportunity at Penns for many of the national relay teams, one week before the World Athletics Relay in the Bahamas, is a win-win for everyone," said O'Callaghan.

Director of the Penn Relays, Steve Dolan, is excited about the Global Relay.

"Penn Relays is proud to welcome athletes from around the globe to Philadelphia," Dolan said.

On the final day of the Penn Relays there will also be the Toyota Olympic Development men's 800m which will include Jamaica's Navasky Anderson. Anderson who has a personal best of 1:44.69 was third in the event at the Pan American Games in Chile, last November.

The field will be led by Kenya's Fertus Lagat who has a personal best of 1:44.31. His countryman Noah Kibet with a best of 1:44.88, Kyle Langford of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with a best of 1:44.49 and American Vince Crisp who boast a personal best of 1:45.03 will also be among the 10 starters.