After months of hard work and preparation, Jamaica’s athletes are set to showcase their skills on Thursday’s opening day of the highly-anticipated four-day Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Championships at the National Stadium.

The Championships will be used to select Jamaica’s team for next month’s Olympic Games in Paris.

A total of 680 junior and senior athletes will compete, with events kicking off at 9:00 am. Junior athletes will aim to secure spots for this year’s World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, scheduled for August.

Garth Gayle, president of the JAAA, expressed confidence in a successful championship.

“I am looking forward to our athletes performing well. The competition promises excitement as athletes strive for qualifying standards and the title of 100m champion,” Gayle remarked.

Gayle noted the championships’ importance in Jamaica’s sport development. “This event will select our Olympic and Under-20 teams, contributing significantly to our mandate to manage and develop track and field in Jamaica,” he added.

The highlights of the day include the women’s high jump final at 7:10 pm, featuring national champion Lamara Distin who will go up against two other competitors in the event. The women’s long jump final follows with Tissanna Hickling and Ackelia Smith leading the field with marks of 6.86m, respectively, starting at 5:02 pm.

Two-time Olympic sprint double champion Elaine Thompson-Herah will not defend her titles at this year’s Games after she withdrew from the National Championships. Thompson-Herah’s management team made the announcement in a release on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old appeared to sustain an injury during the 100m sprint at the New York City Grand Prix earlier this month and was carried off the track. It was reported that Thompson-Herah injured her Achilles during the race.

The women’s 100m field will be led by three-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Shericka Jackson which is set to begin at 8:20 pm. They will be joined by top contenders such as Krystal Sloley, Shashalee Forbes, Natasha Morrison, Briana Williams, Alana Reid, the national junior 100m record holder, and the Clayton twins Tia and Tina.

The men’s 100m heat is to feature the country’s rising star Oblique Seville, who is Jamaica’s fastest man in the world this year with his time of 9.82s. Defending champion Rohan Watson of MVP Track Club, who will be aiming to repeat his surprise victory from last year, is also down to compete in the heat.

However, before these events, there will be the qualifying round for the men’s 100m at 9:00 am. It is to feature 66 athletes, including representatives from Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis, and Barbados. The top eight from these heats will advance to the afternoon session.

Reigning world champion Antonio Watson will also be on show this morning when he competes in the heats of the men’s 400m event, starting at 10:00 am. He will be joined in the event by national record holder Rusheen McDonald along with other the contenders Jevaughn Powell, who is the fastest Jamaican in the world with his time of 44.54; Sean Bailey, Demish Gaye, Raheem Hayles and D’Andre Ande. The heat of the men’s and women’s 800m events will be on this afternoon starting at 4:00 and 4:15, respectively.