Jamaica’s World Championship qualification hopes in the men’s 4x100m have taken a hit following confirmation that sprint standout Ackeem Blake has withdrawn from Saturday’s London Diamond League meeting. 400m hurdler and Jamaica national champion Rushell Clayton has also withdrawn from the meet.

Blake, who was listed to contest both the men’s 100m and the all-important 4x100m relay, has reportedly been pulled out as a precaution after feeling some discomfort in training earlier this week. According to reports, the decision was made by his handlers in the interest of preserving his fitness ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September.

Blake’s absence comes at a critical juncture for the Jamaican relay squad, which is still chasing a qualifying time for Tokyo. He was expected to be a key leg in the quartet alongside Kishane Thompson, Oblique Seville, and Rohan Watson. In his place, Kadrian Goldson has now been drafted in to complete the four-man team tasked with running a time faster than the 38.15 seconds required to secure one of the final qualifying spots.

Meanwhile, Rushell Clayton has also withdrawn from the meet under less clear circumstances. The reigning national champion in the women’s 400m hurdles had been on an upward trajectory after a dominant win at last month’s Jamaica National Championships. However, her name was removed from the start list for Saturday’s race without an official explanation. Calls to her agent Marvin Anderson went unanswered.

Clayton had suffered an injury earlier this season while competing in the Grand Slam Track Series, but it is not immediately known if her latest withdrawal is related.

Jamaica’s 4x100m team will now be counting on Goldson to gel quickly with the rest of the lineup. With Thompson—the world’s fastest man this year at 9.75—alongside national champion Watson and Olympic finalist Seville, the quartet still possesses the firepower to deliver the performance required to book their spot for the World Championships.