David Riley backs 44-strong Jamaica squad for World U20 Athletics Championships

Technical leader David Riley has labelled Jamaica’s 44-member squad for the World Under-20 Athletics Championships a strong unit as the team prepares for competition in Eugene, Oregon, from August 5 to 9.

National junior record holders Shenoya Douglas and Garri Cooper lead the Jamaican contingent. Douglas tops the world Under-20 girls’ rankings in both the 100 metres and 200 metres, with times of 10.98 seconds and 22.11 seconds — the latter also a national junior record. Cooper holds the world Under-20 boys’ 100 metres lead at 9.93 seconds.

Joseph Salmon sits first in the Under-20 boys’ discus rankings with a throw of 67.55 metres, while Tiana Marshall is ranked fourth in the women’s 100 metres hurdles.

Riley said the squad reflects the athletes who reported and their current fitness levels.

“It is a strong team and we are going to Oregon with all intents and purposes to represent us well and these athletes are certainly among our best, if not the best, in some of the events and we certainly will go there and do our best,” he said.

Although the official JAAA press release stated that reserves will not travel to Eugene, Riley clarified that exceptions apply. An athlete named for one event may also be listed as a reserve in another for administrative purposes. Full reserves across the board are treated differently, he said, and reserves must still be entered on the portal so substitutes can be made if needed — a practice used at World Under-20, World Senior Championships and Olympic level.

At the 2024 championships in Lima, Peru, Jamaica won four gold medals and one silver, finishing fourth on the overall medal table.