by Justin Lagat
From every view, the World Relays Bahamas 2024 was a resounding success! 70 teams moved on to Paris 2024, with Europe sending 26 of the teams to the Summer Olympics.
This is the second article from Justin Lagat on the World Relays, and we hope that you enjoy our coverage.
Everyone feels at home when the host is happy. It was the same inside Thomas Robinson Stadium when the World Athletics Relays host nation won the day’s first event and excited the home crowds.
Anchored by Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the Bahamas 4x400m mixed relay team ran a new national record of 3:12.81 to win their heat and qualify for the Paris Olympic Games.
Had it not been for the two top Olympic Qualifying places on offer for teams who didn’t make it to the finals, perhaps the second rounds of the qualifications may not have been as thrilling as they were as runners desperately fought to get into the Paris Olympics.
Another highlight of the Olympic qualifications was when Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith ran one of the fastest splits in the women’s 4x100m relays to place Côte d’Ivoire in the Olympic qualifying place. Her 10.07 split, which is way faster than it would take to spell her entire name, was utterly impressive.
Liberia’s men’s 4x100m Olympic qualification, National record of 38.65, and the following celebrations were among the other delightful moments of the second day of the Relays.
The first gold medal of the evening went to the USA’s 4x400m mixed relay team after the quartet of Matthew Boling, Lynna Irby-Jackson, Willington Wright, and Kendall Ellis maintained the lead to emerge victorious in a new championship record of 3:10.73. In her leg, Femke Bol moved the Netherlands from fourth place to win silver in 3:11.45, slightly ahead of Ireland, which registered a new national record of 3:11.53 to bag the bronze medal.
The USA also won the women’s 4×100 in another championship record 41.85. The team comprised Tamari Davis, Gabrielle Thomas, Celera Barnes, and Melissa Jefferson. France got the silver medal, while Great Britain won the bronze medal.
The third gold medal of the evening still went to the USA in the men’s 4x100m. The baton went from Courtney Lindsey to Kenneth Bednarek, Kyree King, and Noah Lyles, who anchored the team to a new world-leading 37.40. Canada took the silver medal, while France got the bronze medal behind them.
USA’s women’s 4x400m team (Quanera Hayes, Gabrielle Thomas, Bailey Lear, and Alexis Holmes) put in another dominant performance, staying clear ahead of the rest to win the world title and a fourth gold medal for their country in a world-leading 3:21.70. Poland came in second, ahead of Canada.
Botswana’s Busang Collen Kebinatshipi (45.99), Letsile Tebogo (43.72), Leungo Scotch (45.27), and Bayapo Ndori (44.13) ensured that their country was the only other one besides the US to win a gold medal at the championships. They brought down the curtains with a world-leading performance of 2:59.11. South Africa won the silver medal in 3:00.75, and Belgium won the bronze medal in 30:01.16.
