Host nation Botswana closed out the World Athletics Relays on Sunday with an emphatic win in the men’s 4x400m relay as part of two days of action where six teams stuck gold as others punched their tickets to next year’s world championships.
The home crowd at National Stadium in Gaborone roared as their team bolted to a 2:54.47 competition record, with Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi powering past South Africa who took second in a 2:55.07 national record. Australia finished third in 2:55.20.
“We had planned this before, we talked with the boys before,” Tebogo said after the race. “The main goal was to try and qualify the team to Beijing, which happened yesterday. For me, that was to let them learn to run without me because for Beijing, they will have to do it by themselves and let me join them in the final.”
The energy on the track was a common thread of the meet as Jamaica stunned in the 4x100m mixed relay and women’s 4x100m.
Jamaica’s 4x100m mixed squad clocked a 39.99 world record in the qualifying heat on Saturday and lowered their own mark a day later with a 39.62 as Ackeem Blake, Tina Clayton, Kadrian Goldson and Tia Clayton catapulted to gold. Canada was second in 40.23 as Team USA took third in 40.33.
We came out here to execute and get the baton around as expected, and we have qualified the team comfortably,” Tina Clayton said. [The mixed 4x100m] is a good idea because you get men and women to blend more in the team and I absolutely love it. The world will definitely see us in Budapest at the Ultimate Championships.”
Her teammates echoed the same sentiment as Briana Williams, Jodean Williams, Lavanya Williams and Elaine Thompson-Herah, who emphatically retuned from injury, grabbed the women’s 4x100m gold in 42.00 over Canada in a 42.17 national record and Spain, which finished third in 42.31.
Team USA coasted to a 37.43 world lead in the men’s 4x100m as Ronnie Baker, Max Thomas, Lance Lang, Pjai Austin were nearly flawless in a narrow win over South Africa, who took silver in 37.49 and German’s third place 37.76.
Meanwhile, the Americans found their own mixed relay magic in the 4x400m as Bryce Deadmon, Paris Peoples, Jenoah McKiver and Bailey Lear delivered a 3:07.47 competition record over Jamaica’s 3:08.24 national record and Great Britain, who took bronze in 3:09.84.
Norway took the women’s 4x400m in a 3:20.96 world lead with Josefine Tomine Eriksen Aks, Amalie Iuel, Astri Ertzgaard and Henriette Jæger topping Spain’s 3:21.25 national record for second place and Canada, who took third in 3:22.66.
The two-day meet also decided which nations would gain automatic qualifiers for the World Ultimate Championship in September and next year’s world championships.
Teams qualified for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship 2026 in Budapest
Mixed 4x100m: Canada, Germany, Jamaica, Nigeria, Spain, United States
Mixed 4x400m: Great Britain & NI, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Spain, United States
Teams qualified for the World Athletics Championships 2027 in Beijing 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, 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
