The squad had a number of medal hopes for the sprinting events, including Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, and Michael Frater in the men's and Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kerron Stewart, and Shelly-Ann Fraser in the women's.

Olympic gold medallist Melaine Walker competed in the 400 metres hurdles and 2007 World Championship silver medallists Maurice Smith, Shericka Williams, and Novlene Williams-Mills also feature.

[1] The Jamaican team suffered a number of setbacks before the event: five of the selected athletes (Yohan Blake, Allodin Fothergill, Lansford Spence, Marvin Anderson and Sheri-Ann Brooks) tested positive for the stimulant methylxanthine, although it is unclear whether they will be banned from competition.

[2] In a separate incident, the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association threatened the five athletes in Stephen Francis' Maximising Velocity Power Track Club with deselection after they failed to attend a mandatory training camp in Berlin.

The athletes (Asafa Powell, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Melaine Walker, Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Shericka Williams) were eventually cleared for competition following the personal intervention of IAAF president Lamine Diack.