Second world record for Jamaica

Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake, Tina Clayton, Kadrian Goldson and Tia Clayton stormed to their second mixed 4x100m world record of the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone, running 39.62 to win the final.

Two world records were achieved on the first day of action in Botswana – Canada and Jamaica opening the competition by setting respective world records of 40.07 and 39.99 in the heats, improving on the world best of 40.30 achieved by Canada when the mixed 4x100m made its global debut at last year’s World Relays in Guangzhou.

The two teams went head-to-head in a thrilling final, in battle for the World Relays title, top prize money and qualification for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in September.

And it was Jamaica who topped that clash, achieving another world record to secure the title in style ahead of Canada in 40.23 and USA in 40.33.

The top six teams automatically secured their spots for the Ultimate Championship – Jamaica, Canada and USA joined by Germany, Spain and Nigeria – while all the finalists had already qualified for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27 by safely advancing from the heats.

Thompson-Herah anchors Jamaica to 4x100m win in Gaborone

Elaine Thompson-Herah made a golden return to the global stage, anchoring Jamaica to the women’s 4x100m title.

Continuing her comeback after injury, the five-time Olympic champion teamed up with Briana Williams, Jodean Williams and Lavanya Williams to clock 42.00 – Thompson-Herah easing up as she reached the finish line ahead of Canada and Spain.

The Canadian quartet – including two members of the nation’s mixed 4x100m team that finished runner-up just 20 minutes earlier: Marie-Éloïse Leclair and Audrey Leduc – stormed to a national record of 42.17 for another second-place finish, while Spain chased them over the finish line to complete the podium in 42.31.

Briana Williams started off for Jamaica, handing the baton to Jodean Williams. The second changeover wasn’t quite as smooth but Lavanya Williams got to Thompson-Herah in second place, just behind Canada.

Sadé McCreath, Leduc and Leclair set things up well for their anchor runner Donna Ntambue, who stormed away in the lead for Canada. But Thompson-Herah was fast in pursuit and she overpowered her rival down the home straight, securing a second 4x100m victory for Jamaica in Gaborone after the nation’s mixed success.

The Canadian quartet improved on their national record of 42.38 set in the heats of the World Championships in Tokyo to finish just ahead of Spain.

There was a fight for fourth place – Italy, China and Germany all clocking 42.61, separated by just 0.007.

“I’m grateful that I crossed the line healthy,” said Thompson-Herah after racing in her first major international event since the 2023 World Championships. “Coming down the home straight, I felt like my leg was heavy – like a hamstring – but I knew that I had to bring the team home because we were looking forward to that.

“We came here in high spirits and I’m satisfied to walk away with the gold. I came here hungry for more and it worked out perfectly.”

France and Nigeria enjoyed huge celebrations after the first women’s 4x100m heat of the additional round earlier in the session. Their quartets respectively clocked 42.92 and 42.94 to secure the top two spots and, as a result, qualify for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27. Hungary set a national record of 43.32 in third.

Australia won the second heat in 42.88 to join the list of Beijing-qualified teams along with Great Britain and NI, whose disqualification on day one put paid to their hopes of defending their World Relays title. They rebounded by running 42.90 for the runner-up spot, Success Eduan chasing down Australia’s Georgia Harris and Switzerland’s Céline Bürgi, who anchored her team to third place in 42.92, narrowly missing out on automatic qualification for the World Championships.

USA regain men’s 4x100m title

The United States turned the tables on South Africa, the nation that upstaged them at last year’s event, by winning the men’s 4x100m.

In a near repeat of the final from Guangzhou twelve months ago, the USA and South Africa were locked in a head-to-head battle for glory down the home straight, but this time victory went to the United States who prevailed in 37.43 ahead of South Africa, who set an African record of 37.49 in second.

USA’s 2018 world indoor bronze medallist Ronnie Baker powered out of the blocks and handed on to Max Thomas. South Africa, led off by Mvuyo Moss and Cheswill Johnson, were positioned well throughout, while Germany were also close behind.

Canada, the Olympic champions and one of the best-drilled relay squads in the world, were taken out of contention when second-leg runner Jerome Blake was struck by injury. He strode gallantly towards Brendon Rodney to complete his leg before Andre De Grasse brought them home as the last team to finish in 40.06.

Out in front, though, USA’s Lance Lang battled against South Africa’s Bradley Nkoana on the third leg with Germany’s Owen Ansah giving chase. Pjai Austin then anchored USA down the home straight, holding off a strong challenge from the ever-reliable Akani Simbine, who anchored South Africa to victory last year.

This time, however, the title went to the USA in 37.43 – the third-fastest time ever at the World Relays and just 0.05 shy of the competition record. South Africa finished second in an African record of 37.49. It’s just the second time in history that two teams have broken 37.50 in the same race.

“The noise from the crowd at the World Championships in Tokyo last year was loud, but here it was crazy,” said Baker, USA’s first-leg runner. “The atmosphere was truly amazing – the crowd had us hyped and ready to go.”

“Since 2024 I’ve tried to let go of chasing medals simply to prove to the world that I’m a great sprinter when my results speak for themselves,” added Simbine, who has been running sub-10 for 100m for a span of 11 years. “Now it’s just me on the track running free, feeling the love from everybody that has supported me.”

Germany finished third in 37.76, backing up the 37.67 national record they set in the first round. Australia (38.00) and the Netherlands (38.17) were next to finish ahead of the host nation Botswana (38.35), running without Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo as he was focusing on the 4x400m. Canada was next, while Great Britain failed to finish.

In the second World Championships qualifying round, China powered away from the field to win the first heat in 37.85 ahead of Ghana (38.09). Kenya finished outside of the qualifying spots in third but were rewarded with a national record of 38.27.

Jamaica enjoyed an even bigger winning margin in the second heat, winning in 38.14 to secure their place in Beijing. Belgium produced a national record of 38.40 to grab to final qualifying spot.

Norway run world lead to win women’s 4x400m

Josefine Tomine Eriksen Aks, Amalie Iuel, Astri Ertzgaard and Henriette Jæger teamed up to make history for Norway, running a world-leading national record of 3:20.96 to win the women’s 4x400m.

That quartet finished sixth in the world final in Tokyo last year but they went almost three seconds faster in Botswana – first running a national record of 3:22.78 in the heats and then improving that mark again to clinch the crown ahead of defending champions Spain, who also ran a national record of 3:21.25. Canada finished third in 3:22.66.

Spain had the lead after the first leg – Paula Sevilla handing the baton to Ana Prieto, ahead of Great Britain, Italy and Canada.

Lauren Gale moved Canada to the fore at the break, chased by Iuel for Norway and Prieto for Spain. Iuel had the strongest finish and put Norway ahead at the changeover, handing the baton to Ertzgaard.

Spain’s Rocío Arroyo passed Ertzgaard at the end of that third leg before anchor runner Blanca Hervás strode away in the lead for the defending champions. But she was tracked by 2025 world indoor 400m bronze medallist Jæger who surged in front down the back straight and couldn’t be caught.

That 48.91 anchor leg by Jæger secured Norway the win ahead of Spain, while Olympic 400m hurdles finalist Savannah Sutherland moved Canada up to third place.

Olympic bronze medallists Great Britain finished fourth ahead of world bronze medallists the Netherlands and Italy, who equalled their national record.

“We have also qualified for the World Championships in Beijing and that’s what matters the most to us,” said Iuel. “Two years ago, we finished fifth, and last year, we finished fourth. This year we all agreed that we needed to get on that podium and we did it. 

“We knew that we had a strong team and I knew that we were about to do something crazy. We had a run through yesterday, everyone was really nervous, but today, we had a confidence booster because we had set a national record. We were all surprised and we knew we could still run faster. We left it all out there. This is our first time getting a gold medal in the relays and this medal has a special place in our hearts.”

A powerful anchor leg by Sharlene Mawdsley helped Ireland to a first heat win in the earlier additional round, securing their qualification for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27 in style.

France led until the final leg, trailed by Jamaica and Ireland. But Arlene Crossan put Ireland in a strong position on the third leg, leaving Mawdsley ready to kick past her rivals off the final bend and power over the finish line in 3:23.83.

France held on to the runner-up spot, Amandine Brossier running the anchor to secure the second World Championships qualification place in 3:24.48 to deny Jamaica in 3:25.38.

World and Olympic medallists Justyna Święty-Ersetic and Natalia Bukowiecka helped Poland to a second heat win, Bukowiecka reaching the finish line in 3:26.52 to confirm her team’s place for Beijing. She held off Australia’s Ellie Beer, the quartet clocking 3:26.92 to also qualify for the World Championships ahead of South Africa.

Botswana bring World Relays to epic close with historic men’s 4x400m win

Botswana brought the curtain down on the meet in unforgettable fashion, winning the men’s 4x400m in a competition record of 2:54.47 as the National Stadium erupted for the host nation.

Running in the final event of the weekend, the world champions delivered the performance the home crowd had come to see – and then some. Their time was not only a national record and the fastest ever recorded at the World Relays, but also the third-fastest performance in history.

By the time the baton reached the closing stages, the noise inside the stadium had become almost overwhelming. Botswana had carried the expectation of a nation into the last race of the programme, and they responded with a performance of authority, precision and nerve to seal one of the defining moments in World Relays history.

It was a fitting finale to the first World Athletics Series event to be held in Botswana, a weekend that had already produced world leads, area records and national records across the relay disciplines. But nothing matched the emotion of the closing race, as Botswana’s 4x400m quartet turned home support into history.

Lee Eppie gave the home team an early lead with a 44.26 leg before handing over to Letsile Tebogo. The Olympic 200m champion strode out along the back straight but, despite running a 43.50 split, was caught by Lythe Pillay towards the end of the second leg after the South African managed a sensational 42.66 split – the fastest in 4x400m history.

Reece Holder moved Australia into contention too with a 43.12 effort on the second leg and it soon became clear that the host nation wouldn’t have it all their own way.

Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori chased South African teenager Leendert Koekemoer on the third leg, while Australia’s Thomas Reynolds edged closer to the lead pair. There was little to separate the three leading teams as they embarked on the final leg.

Fortunately for Botswana, they still had world champion Collen Kebinatshipi to call upon. He moved level with South Africa’s Zakithi Nene and Australia’s Aidan Murphy with 200 metres to go and they ran together for the next 100 metres before Kebinatshipi broke free from his challengers on the home straight.

Roared on by the vocal home crowd, he charged through the line in 2:54.47, smashing the championship record by almost three seconds. South Africa placed second in 2:55.07 and Australia were third in 2:55.20, the fifth and sixth fastest performances in history.

“We wanted to break the world record, we didn’t care about the gold,” said Eppie, Botswana’s first-leg runner. “We polished the mistakes before we got into the race and everything was perfect from start to finish.

“This was the best moment in my career,” said Tebogo. “I’m sure there is more to come but this has been my biggest highlight so far. It is not about the medals at the Olympics or World Championships but how the crowd has held us together.”

Further back, Portugal held off Zimbabwe to finish fourth in 2:59.75 to Zimbabwe’s 2:59.79. The Netherlands (3:00.13) and Belgium (3:00.69) were sixth and seventh, while Qatar were disqualified.

In the second World Championships qualifying round, Senegal emerged as surprise winners of a hotly contested first heat in 3:01.28 ahead of Spain (3:01.37). The second heat was similarly competitive with Japan coming out on top in 3:00.19 ahead of Brazil (3:00.45).

Teams qualified for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26

Mixed 4x100m: Canada, Germany, Jamaica, Nigeria, Spain, United States

Mixed 4x400m: Great Britain & NI, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Spain, United States

Full list of teams qualified for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27 through the World Relays

Women’s 4x100m: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain & NI, Italy, Jamaica, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Spain

Men’s 4x100m: Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, China, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain & NI, Jamaica, Netherlands, South Africa, United States

Women’s 4x400m: Australia, Canada, Czechia, France, Germany, Great Britain & NI, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain

Men’s 4x400m: Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Qatar, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Zimbabwe

Mixed 4x100m: Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain & NI, Italy, Jamaica, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United States

Mixed 4x400m: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Great Britain & NI, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, Spain, United States