Malik James King is the lone local based athlete on the six member men’s 4x400m relay team that will compete this weekend in the Bahamas at the New Life Invitational meet, as Jamaica seeks to secure qualification for the mile relay at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The team announced by local governing body the JAAA includes former Kingston College athletes Jevaughn Powell and Tarees Rhoden as well as Raheem Hayles and former Calabar runners Kimar Farquson and Shevioe Reid.

They will be accompanied by team manager Brian Smith, coaches Mark Elliot and Lamar Richards and massage therapist Oral Thompson.

Jamaica having missed out on qualifying for the Paris Olympics at the recently held World Relays in the Bahamas, is currently one place outside the top 16 countries by virtue of the 2:59.34 seconds clocking from the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last year.

Zambia is currently in the final qualifying spot, with 2:59.12 seconds while France is the other qualifier based on time with 2:58.45s. 

The country has until June 30 to qualify its men’s 4x400m team for the games in Paris.