The 69-year-old, the Montreal 1976 200 metres champion, is standing against the JAAA’s current general secretary Garth Gayle.

Quarrie has promised that he will prioritise integrity, financial stability, greater inclusion of athletes and other stakeholders, more focus on the island’s development of elite youth talent, stronger international relations and increased opportunities for coaches, officials and other members of the athletics family if he is elected.

"My goal is to make a difference, make a change," Quarrie told the Jamaica Gleaner. 

"The change is not about me, it’s about all of us.

"We are so far behind in a lot of the things that we do within the JAAA - it’s a shame really."

Quarrie has claimed that he has not been utilised properly in the past by the JAAA.

"I have the talent; I have made the contacts," Quarrie told the Jamaica Gleaner.

"I can reach out internationally and I can reach out locally to corporate entities.

"I have always said to the JAAA, use me, and they don’t.

"So, I have decided I need to make a change.

"I will not sit back, allow this to continue and just complain.

"I am going to do something about it, and I believe I am a lot more qualified to get this done."

Whoever is elected will replace Warren Blake, an orthopaedic surgeon, who is fulfilling a promise to step down after serving two terms having first been elected in 2011.

Gayle has worked as the honorary secretary of the JAAA for the last 20 years and is principal of a high school in St Catherine in south-east Jamaica.

His plans include "improving communication and governance structure of the JAAA, bringing it in line with World Athletics".

Gayle is placing particular emphasis on youth programmes, something he claims is even important to help youngsters stay in athletics following the coronavirus pandemic.

He also wants to ensure that more of the talented high school sprinters that proliferate in Jamaica have a proper pathway to reach the top and follow in the footsteps of the likes of eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt, who has contributed to Jamaica being an athletics superpower.

Jamaica finished third overall in the athletics medal table at Rio 2016 when they won a total of 11 medals, six of them gold.

It followed a second placed finish in athletics at London 2012 with 12 medals, four of them gold, and third at Beijing 2008 when they claimed 11 medals, five of which were gold.  

“We need to ensure that at any given time we know where our athletes are, how they are doing, those moving from secondary school into the collegiate ranks and then on to elite track and field programmes.” Gayle told the Jamaica Observer. 

“We want to be there for them from day one because the JAAA is also about the athletes, they are very important stakeholders and why it is we are here as our mandate clearly states, the management of track and field in Jamaica.”

Gayle also wants to work on “improving on our marketing and Brand Jamaica, to ensure local, regional and international companies will benefit from working with us”.