The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has expressed deep disappointment over recent changes to the 2025 regional athletics calendar, as it says the revisions threaten to derail aspects of the country’s long-standing youth development efforts.

In a release issued on Saturday, the JAAA revealed that it had been advised—via the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC)—of the postponement of two major age-group championships. The NACAC U18/U23 Championships, originally scheduled for August, has been postponed until June 5–7, 2026, while the Pan American Under-20 Athletics Championships has been pushed back to October 3–5, 2025.

The association noted that the October date for the Pan American U20 Championships is especially problematic, falling well outside the traditional track and field season. As such, the JAAA does not intend to send a team to that event in 2025.

"Both changes are very disappointing to us and our athletics development program. At the moment, the JAAA does not intend to participate in the Pan American U20 Athletics Championships given the rescheduled date," the JAAA said in a statement.

In light of the scheduling upheaval, the JAAA has opted to include several Under-20 athletes—seven girls and nine boys—in the Jamaican squad set to compete at the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay, from August 18–22, 2025.

"In order to keep our athletes engaged and encouraged, we have included as many of our U20 athletes as possible in the 51-member Junior Pan Am Games team selected to participate in Asuncion, Paraguay. That team will be released in a few days after it has been ratified," the JAAA said.