Preview: Men's and Women's Relays - World Athletics Championships 2023
The World Athletics Championships in Budapest are set to be a thrilling showcase of speed, stamina, and team coordination, particularly in the relay events. In the men's and women's 4x100m, we anticipate a fierce contest as top sprinting nations go head-to-head. Traditional powerhouses like the USA and Jamaica will be out in full force. However, emerging teams from countries like Italy, Poland, Ivory Coast, Netherlands and Belgium have shown immense potential in recent years, making the outcome unpredictable. The 4x400m will test not only the athletes' speed but also their endurance. Canada and Dominican Republic with their recent stellar performances, cannot be overlooked alongside stalwarts like the USA and Great Britain. Meanwhile, the mixed relays promise a unique blend of strategy and raw pace, offering an exciting variation from conventional relays. Here, teams must decide the order of male and female runners to best exploit their strengths against competitors. With national pride at stake and the world watching, Budapest is primed to witness some of the most electrifying relay races in the history of the Championships.
Women’s 4x100 relay:
The United States have won five world titles in the past 20 years, including at the most recent edition in Eugene 2022, when the home team claimed the gold medal in 41.14 beating Jamaica by four hundredths of a second.
Jamaica won two consecutive Olympic titles in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2021 and hold five of eight fastest times in history.
A strong US team formed by Melissa Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and Aleia Hobbs set the fastest time in the world this year with 41.75 at the Texas Relays in Austin. This time was set without some of the sprinters, who will be in the US team at the World Championships in Budapest.
US 100 metres champion Sha’Carri Richardson, 200m Olympic bronze medallist Gabby Thomas, 2019 world 200m silver medallist Brittany Brown and Twanisha Terry are among the available sprinters, who could form a formidable team.
Jamaica set their fastest time this year with 42.80 in Devonshire, but they did not feature Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce and Shericka Jackson. Fraser Pryce reached the podium at the World Championships seven times, including four gold medals. She owns the most 4x100 relay medals of any athlete in World Championships history.
Great Britain could be among the strongest candidates for the podium, as it features Dina Asher Smith and Daryil Neita, who run under 11 seconds this year. The British team won world silver medals in London 2017 and Doha 2019 and two Olympic bronze medals in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2021.
Ivory Coast set the second fastest time among the entered teams for Budapest with 42.23 at the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne. The Ivorian team formed by African 100m record holder Marie Josée Ta Lou, 2018 world 60m indoor champion Murielle Ahouré, Maboundou Kone and Jessika Gbai has the potential team to fight for the podium.
The Dutch team formed by Nkeetia Seedo, Marjie Van Hunenstjin, Jamile Samuel and Tasa Jiya won at the Diamond League meeting in London in 42.38 beating Great Britain (42.59).
Germany won the world bronze medal in Eugene in 42.03 and the European title in Munich in 42.34 and could fight for the top-three again.
Women’s 4x400 relay:
The United States have won seven of the eight world titles in the women’s 4x400 relay and all Olympic gold medals in this event since 1996. The US team could feature Britton Wilson, Talitha Diggs, Shamier Little and Gabby Thomas, who have all dipped under the 50 seconds barrier this year. Unfortunately Olympic and world 4x400 relay champion Sydney McLaughlin has been forced to withdraw from the World Championships due to a knee injury.
Jamaica boasts a strong tradition in the women’s 4x400. The Jamaican team was the last team to beat the United States at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and reached the podium at nine of the past eleven editions of the World Championships and at the past six Olympic Games. They boast Stacey Ann Williams, Candice McLeod, Nickisha Pryce and Charokee Young, who dipped under the 51 seconds this year.
The Netherlands is aiming to add the world medal to the European title in Munich last year in 3:20.87 with a team featuring Femke Bol and Lieke Klaver, who also won two consecutive European Indoor gold medals.
Poland won the Olympic silver medal in 2021 and could be among the top contenders. The top Polish athlete is Natalia Kaczmarek, who won the Diamond League meeting in Monaco in a lifetime best of 49.48.
Canada finished fourth at the World Championships and could be among the major contenders for a spot in the final.
Belgium placed sixth at the World Championships and improved the national record to 3:22.12 to finish fourth at the European Championships.
Italy won the silver medal at the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul in a national record of 3.28.61 with a strong team featuring Italian 400m hurdles record holder Ayomide Folorunso.
Men’s 4x100 relay:
The United States have won just one global title in the men’s 4x100 relay team over the past 15 years, but this time the US team starts as the strong favourite for the gold medal, as it features the reigning 100 metres world champion Fred Kerley, the reigning 200 metres world champion Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton, world silver and bronze medallists in the 200 metres in Eugene, 2019 world 100 metres Christian Coleman, this year’s US 100 metres champion Cravont Charleston and reigning NCAA 100 metres champion Courtney Lindsey.
The Canadian team featuring Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brandon Rodney and André De Grasse won the Olympic silver medal in Tokyo 2021 and the world gold medal in 37.48 in Eugene 2022 moving to fifth in the world all-time list. The same team clocked a world-leading time of 37.80 at the Florida Relays in Gainesville last April.
A strong Japanese team formed by Ryuchiro Sakai, Hiroki Yamagata, Yuki Koike and and Koki Ueyama equalled the world leading time clocking 37.80 at the Wanda Diamond League in London last July.
Another strong contender for the podium is Great Britain, world champion in London 2017 on home soil. A strong British team formed by Jeremiah Azu, Zharnel Hughes, Jona Efoloko and Tommy Ramdhan finished second in 38.00 in London behind Japan setting the third fastest time in the world this year. Great Britain and the USA are the only countries to reach the podium at the past three editions of the World Championships. Great Britain won the European gold medal in Munich in 37.67.
Italy clocked 38.04 in Grosseto last July qualifying for the World Championships with a team formed by Roberto Rigali, Filippo Tortu, Lorenzo Patta and Samuele Ceccarelli. The Italian team formed by Patta, Marcell Jacobs, Eseosa Desalu and Tortu won the Olympic gold medal in Tokyo setting the Italian record and the fifth fastest time in history with 37.50. They could be in contention for a medal, if Jacobs returns to his best form and is available to run the relay.
Jamaica is ranked 11th among the entered nations, but the Caribbeean team could be in contention for the podium if their best sprinters Ackeem Blake, Oblique Seville, Rohan Watson, Tyquendo Tracey, Michael Campbell and Rylem Ford are in the same form as at the Jamaican Championships. Jamaica has not won a global medal in the men’s 4x100 since Usain Bolt’s retirement.
Brazil clocked a seasonal best of 38.70 and could fight for the podium if they field their best sprinters, including national champion Erick Cardoso, who finished second in the 100m in 9.97 at the South American Championships in Sao Paolo.
France won the European silver medal in 37.94 in Munich behind Great Britain. Germany is another strong European contender with their best time of 37.97 set in the heats of the European Championships in Munich.
Men’s 4x400 relay:
The United States have won eight of the past nine titles in the men’s 4x400 relay and start as the strongest favourite for the gold medal. The potential US team could feature Olympic 400m hurdler Raj Benjamin, Bryce Deadmon, Vernon Norwood and Quincy Hall, who finished in the top-three at the US Championships in Eugene.
Jamaica has won silver in the past two editions of the World Championships in Doha 2019 and Eugene 2022 beating Belgium both times.
The Jamaican team featuring Sean Bailey, Zandrion Bailey, Demish Gaye, Jevaughn Powell, Antonio Watson and Malik James King has the potential to fight for the podium.
Belgium also won the world indoor gold medal in Belgrade and the European silver in Munich last year and features Kevin and Dylan Borlèe, Alexander Doom, who have the potential team to fight for the podium.
The Netherlands and Botswana won the silver and bronze medals respectively at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and could be among the major contenders for a spot on the podium.
Botswana features four sub-45 seconds performers Bayapo Ndori (44.61), Letsile Tebogo (44.75), Leungo Scotch (44.82) and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi (44.91) and have the potential to dip under the 3 minutes and even fight for the podium.
The Dutch team features Olympic 400 metres finalist Liemarvin Bonevacia, who holds a 44.40 PB in the 400m and was in the team that won the Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo, 400m hurdles specialists Mick Smidt and Ramsey Angela, and Terrence Agard, who ran a 43.7 seconds split at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Great Britain won the European gold medal in Munich beating Belgium and France in a close race.
Trinidad and Tobago is aiming to return to the podium at the World Championships six years after winning the gold medal in London 2017 ahead of the United States. The Caribbean team anchored by world indoor champion Jereem Richards won the gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games.
Japan finished fourth at the World Championships in Eugene improving the Asian record to 2:59.51, finishing ahead of Trinidad and Tobago.
Sri Lanka won the gold medal at the Asian Championships in a national record of 3:01.56, setting the second fastest team among the teams entered for the World Championships in Budapest.
Another Asian team with a great potential team is India, who came close to reaching the Olympic final in Tokyo and won the silver medal at the Asian Championships.
Italy set the third fastest time among the entered team with 3:01.62 in Annecy last June. The Italian team has the potential to fight for a spot in the top-eight two years after finishing seventh with a national record of 2:58.81 at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
France won the European bronze medal in Munich and could be among the teams to watch in Budapest.
Mixed 4x400 relay:
The United States won the inaugural world gold medal in Doha 2019 in a world record time of 3:09.34. The US team starts as the strongest favourite after winning the bronze medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021 and at the World Championships in Eugene.
Poland won a surprising Olympic gold medal in Tokyo 2021 in a European record of 3:09.87.
The Dominican Republic won the gold medal at the World Championships in Eugene in a national record of 3:09.82, the second fastest time in history. The Central American team has a lot of potential as it could feature 400m Olympic and world silver medallist Marileidy Paulino and world 200m finalist Alexander Ogando.
The Dutch team, which could feature Femke Bol and Lieke Klaver, could fight for the podium one year after winning the silver medal in Eugene.
Jamaica is looking to add another medal four years after winning the silver in Doha 2019. The top Jamaican athlete is Rusheen McDonald, who set a 400m PB of 43.93 at the World Championships in Beijing 2015 and a seasonal best of 44.03 in Szekesfehrvar.
The other teams to watch are Great Britain, Belgium (fifth at the Olympic Games), Czech Republic, who set the world leading time and a national record of 3:12.34 at the European Team Championships in Chorzow last June.
