The first eight teams to have qualified for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 in five of the events being contested at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 have been confirmed following the opening day of competition.
A total of 14 teams in each of the women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s 4x100m and 4x400m plus the mixed 4x400m in Guangzhou this weekend (10-11 May) automatically qualify for places at the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
In the men&rsquo;s 4x100m and men&rsquo;s 4x400m, the top two teams in each of the four heats per event secured spots for their respective World Relays finals on Sunday, while also booking their tickets for Tokyo. In the women&rsquo;s 4x100m, women&rsquo;s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m, the first two teams in each of the three heats plus the two teams with the next fastest times all qualified.
Three federations &ndash; Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland, South Africa and USA &ndash; each qualified four teams for Tokyo.
The session started with the heats of the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x100m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixed 4x100m</a>, making its global debut in Guangzhou, and was followed by the first World Championships qualifiers in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x400m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixed 4x400m</a>. USA lived up to their status as the favourites, winning their heat by more than a second to secure their place in Tokyo.
USA also led the first round in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x400m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women&rsquo;s 4x400m</a>, while South Africa topped the list in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x400m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">men&rsquo;s 4x400m</a>. Spain surprised in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x100m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women&rsquo;s 4x100m</a>, running a national record, while South Africa and Japan ran the same world-leading time to win their <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x100m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">men&rsquo;s 4x100m</a> heats.
In the finals on Sunday, teams will compete for prize money and preferential World Championships lane seeding positions. All other teams will race in the additional round to attempt to qualify for Tokyo.
Following the qualification of 14 teams per event in Guangzhou, the remaining two places for Tokyo in each will be awarded based on top lists during the qualification period (25 February 2024 to 24 August 2025).
<h3>Teams qualified for Tokyo and competing in the finals on Sunday</h3>
Women&rsquo;s 4x100m Belgium, Canada, Germany, Great Britain &amp; NI, Jamaica, Netherlands, Spain, United States
Men&rsquo;s 4x100m Canada, Italy, Germany, Great Britain &amp; NI, Japan, Poland, South Africa, United States
Women&rsquo;s 4x400m Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, South Africa, Spain, United States
Men&rsquo;s 4x400m Belgium, Botswana, China, France, Great Britain &amp; NI, Kenya, Portugal, South Africa
Mixed 4x400m Australia, Belgium, Great Britain &amp; NI, Ireland, Kenya, Poland, South Africa, United States
World Athletics

World Athletics Relays

The World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 is the main qualifying competition for relay events at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

First 40 relay teams qualified for WCH Tokyo 25

Nine months on from winning all three 4x400m relays at the Olympic Games, relays superpower USA couldn't quite match that feat in the heats at the&nbsp;World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25.
They were still one of the most outstanding nations in action on the first evening of the competition, winning their heats in the women's and mixed 4x400m with the fastest times of the day, but their luck ran out in the men's 4x400m as they failed to qualify for the final.
USA lived up to their status as the favourites in the mixed relay, winning their heat by more than a second to secure their place at the World Championships.
It was only in the second half of their heat, though, that the world record-holders started to pull away. After a relatively even start, Poland pulled ahead on the second leg, thanks to Olympic bronze medallist Natalia Bukowiecka. USA&rsquo;s Courtney Okolo and Ireland&rsquo;s Rhasidat Adeleke were close behind, but Chris Robinson put the US in the lead on the third leg before handing over to anchor leg runner Lynna Irby-Jackson, who brought the team home in 3:11.37 &ndash; the fastest ever heat time at the World Relays.
Ireland&rsquo;s Sharlene Mawdsley overtook Poland&rsquo;s Justyna Swiety-Ersectic to claim the all-important second place in 3:12.56. Poland&rsquo;s time in third (3:12.70) proved to be enough to advance to tomorrow&rsquo;s final.
The other two heats were much closer. In the first heat, Belgium and Australia exchanged leads several times before Helena Ponette pulled away from Alanah Yukich on the final leg to win for Belgium in 3:11.83 ahead of Australia, whose 3:12.34 clocking was an Oceanian record. Kenya&rsquo;s 3:13.41 run in third was enough to advance to the final on time.
There were similar scenes &ndash; and exactly the same winning margin (0.51) &ndash; in the third and final heat, this time between Olympic bronze medallists Great Britain and South Africa.
The two teams went into the final leg level. Britain&rsquo;s Nicole Yeargin had the better position on the inside of the lane while South Africa&rsquo;s Zeney van der Walt was on Yeargin&rsquo;s outside. They were still level up until the final bend, then Yeargin pulled clear to win in 3:13.28. South Africa held on for second place, while Spain finished third and missed out on a place in the final.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships and progressing to World Relays mixed 4x400m final</h3>
Ht 1: Belgium (3:11.83), Australia (3:12.34), Kenya (3:13.41) Ht 2: USA (3:11.37), Ireland (3:12.56), Poland (3:12.70) Ht 3: Great Britain &amp; NI (3:13.28), South Africa (3:13.79)
<h2> USA and Spain the standouts in women&rsquo;s 4x400m heats</h2>
The main themes of the day &ndash; easy automatic qualification for the USA and a surprising performance from Spain &ndash; continued in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m heats.
It wasn&rsquo;t the strongest of starts for the USA, though, as they were in seventh place after the first leg. But a solid effort of 50.56 from Karimah Davis on the second leg gave USA the lead at half way ahead of Norway and France.
Australia and Canada&nbsp; moved into second and third respectively on the third leg as USA&rsquo;s lead came under threat, but the Olympic champions pulled clear again on the final leg, thanks to a 50.47 run from Bailey Lear, giving the USA victory in 3:26.05.
Louise Maraval moved into second for France (3:26.46), holding off a storming 49.79 effort from Norway&rsquo;s Henriette Jaeger, whose final time of 3:26.61 was enough for Norway to advance to the final, as was Canada&rsquo;s 3:27.28 in fourth.
Spain produced a gun-to-tape victory in the second heat. Belgium, Italy and Great Britain all tried their best to make inroads on Spain&rsquo;s early lead, but they could not be caught and ultimately won with a comfortable margin, clocking 3:26.25.
Italy claimed second place in 3:27.03 ahead of Britain. Despite utilising four of the eight squad members that earned Olympic bronze last year, Britain&rsquo;s 3:27.47 wasn&rsquo;t enough to advance to the final.
In the third and final heat, South Africa moved into the lead on the second leg and managed to maintain it to the end. Hurdles specialist Zeney van der Walt, who had raced in the mixed 4x400m just 90 minutes prior, ran a strong anchor leg to bring the team home in a national record of 3:28.01.
Germany took second place in 3:28.63 ahead of Ireland (3:30.06). Somewhat surprisingly, Poland and Jamaica &ndash; usually among the strongest nations in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m &ndash; finished fifth and sixth.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships and progressing to World Relays women&rsquo;s 4x400m final</h3>
Ht 1: USA (3:26.05), France (3:26.46), Norway (3:26.61), Canada (3:27.28) Ht 2: Spain (3:26.25), Italy (3:27.03) Ht 3: South Africa (3:28.01), Germany (3:28.63)
<h2> History repeats for USA as South Africa and China impress in men&rsquo;s 4x400m heats</h2>
For the second World Relays in a row, the USA failed to advance automatically to the men&rsquo;s 4x400m final.
The world and Olympic champions were beaten into third place in their heat, and with just the top two teams in each of the four heats advancing to the final, it means the USA will have to achieve a top-three finish in the second round of races tomorrow to secure their place at the World Championships in Tokyo.
France, the world silver medallists, put forward a full-strength team and were rewarded with victory in 3:00.30, helped by a 44.45 leg from Loic Prevot. Kenya came through to take second place in 3:00.88, while the USA finished third (3:01.23).
Their time would have been enough to win the third heat. Instead, that came down to a thrilling three-way battle between Belgium, Great Britain and Qatar on the final leg.
The three teams were within one stride of each other going into the final leg. Qatar&rsquo;s Ammar Ismail Yahia Ibrahim tried to force his way between Belgium&rsquo;s Alexander Doom and Britain&rsquo;s Charlie Dobson but was ultimately unsuccessful. The latter two ran side by side down the home straight as Belgium took the win in 3:01.35, 0.03 ahead of Britain.
In the first heat of the round, South Africa produced a world-leading run of 3:00.00. Anchor leg runner Zakithi Nene already had a comfortable lead, but that didn&rsquo;t stop him running a 43.97 split to secure their victory.
Behind them, China came through to take second place &ndash; much to the delight of the home crowd, smashing their national record with 3:01.87 and booking their place at the World Championships ahead of Spain (3:02.04).
Despite not having several of the team members that contributed to their Olympic silver medal, Botswana still managed to come away with victory in their heat, clocking 3:01.23. Portugal took a brief lead towards the end of the third leg, and they held on to second place at the end, clocking a national record of 3:01.78.
USA wasn&rsquo;t the only relays powerhouse to miss out on the final. The likes of Poland, Jamaica and the Netherlands &ndash; all of whom are often in contention at major championships &ndash; will have to try again in round two on Sunday.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships and progressing to World Relays men&rsquo;s 4x400m final</h3>
Ht 1: South Africa (3:00.00), PR of China (3:01.87) Ht 2: Botswana (3:01.23), Portugal (3:01.78) Ht 3: Belgium (3:01.35), Great Britain &amp; NI (3:01.38) Ht 4: France (3:00.30), Kenya (3:00.88)
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

USA lived up to their status as the favourites in the mixed relay at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

Two wins out of three for USA in 4x400m heats in Guangzhou

Japan, South Africa and Spain stormed into the 4x100m finals and secured spots for the World Championships, while the mixed 4x100m launched in dramatic fashion to kick off the first day of competition at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 on Saturday (10).
There was plenty at stake on a warm and rainy evening in Guangzhou, with eight teams in the first round of the men&rsquo;s 4x100m and women&rsquo;s 4x100m automatically qualifying for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 in September.
South Africa and Japan both ran 37.84 &ndash; the fastest time in the world so far this year &ndash; to top the list of qualifiers in the men&rsquo;s event, while Spain set a national record of 42.18 to lead the way in the women&rsquo;s event.
Canada, Italy and Jamaica won their respective heats in the mixed 4x100m, but there were the expected thrills and spills as the event made its global debut in Guangzhou. 
<h2>Japan and South Africa dominate</h2>
Japan may already have had a place for the World Championships secured as the host nation, but that didn&rsquo;t stop the men&rsquo;s 4x100m quartet from giving it their all in the heats.
With World Relays titles, prize money and preferential World Championships lane seeding positions up for grabs for the finalists in Guangzhou, Abdul Hakim Sani Brown combined with Rai Atago, Towa Uzawa and Naoki Inoue to dominate the third men&rsquo;s 4x100m heat. They clocked 37.84 to match the time achieved by South Africa in the previous heat and finish clear ahead of Olympic champions Canada.
The full Olympic gold medal-winning quartet was in action for Canada and Andre De Grasse ran a powerful anchor to secure the runner-up spot, a place in the final and World Championships qualification in 38.15.
The South African squad starred three of the four members of the team that got Olympic silver behind Canada in Paris &ndash; Akani Simbine, Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana joined this time by Sinesipho Dambile. Simbine anchored them to the heat two win, chased by Lucas Ansah-Peprah who secured second place for Germany with a storming finish.
Kenya set a national record of 38.35 but were denied a place in the final by just two hundredths of a second, while there was disappointment for Jamaica &ndash; the squad including Yohan Blake and Kishane Thompson &ndash; as the baton never reached Thompson on anchor.
"We came in here as a team and this is our first race as a team together. We went well," said Simbine. "Tomorrow we just need to make sure we're cleaner with the exchanges to get the win."
USA&rsquo;s Courtney Lindsey, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King and Brandon Hicklin kept USA&rsquo;s World Relays title defence on track by winning heat four in 37.86 ahead of Italy in 38.16, in a heat that saw Botswana set a national record of 38.49 to finish fifth, while Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland will join them in advancing as they won the first heat in 38.18 from Poland in 38.43. Korea's record of 38.56 placed them fourth.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships and progressing to World Relays men's 4x100m final</h3>
Ht 1: Great Britain &amp; NI (38.18), Poland (38.43) Ht 2: South Africa (37.84), Germany (38.33) Ht 3: Japan (37.84), Canada (38.15) Ht 4: United States (37.86), Italy (38.16) 
<h2>Spain in the spotlight with national record run</h2>
The focus might have been on Jamaica, with multiple global gold medallists Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson in the line-up, but it was Spain who stole the spotlight in the first round of the women&rsquo;s 4x100m.
Esperanca Cladera, Jael Bestue, Paula Sevilla and Maria Isabel Perez combined to run a national record of 42.18 to win the second heat ahead of Jamaica, that team anchored by Jackson in 42.51 after legs by twins Tia and Tina Clayton plus Fraser-Pryce. Germany, with Rebekka Haase on the final leg, clocked 42.98 for third place in a race that saw Poland and hosts China disqualified. That time was enough for Germany to progress as the fastest non automatic qualifier.
"This result is beyond our expectations," said&nbsp;Cladera. "We are now in May and not even at our greatest or fastest version yet. Seeing this mark gives us tremendous security, and we hope to enjoy it."
Fraser-Pryce said: "We came out here to qualify, that was the intention. We do have a mix of experiences on the team, we are used to relays. We just had a good run, we finished healthily. We have to stick around and trust each other. We know what to do for tomorrow."
There was a powerful last leg by Delphine Nkansa to carry Belgium to a heat one win, the team &ndash; also featuring Rani Vincke, Rani Rosius and Lien Torfs &ndash; clocking 42.80 to pip Olympic silver medallists Great Britain, anchored by Desiree Henry in 42.92. Chile set a national record of 43.64 in fifth.
The US team, which featured Olympic 4x100m champion Twanisha Terry on the last leg, clinched victory in the third heat despite a challenging final handover. She finished clear ahead of Canada&rsquo;s Audrey Leduc, who brought her team home in 43.11, and they will be joined in the final &ndash; as well as at the World Championships &ndash; by the Netherlands who qualified thanks to their time of 43.13 for third place.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships and progressing to World Relays women's 4x100m final</h3>
Ht 1:&nbsp;Belgium (42.80), Great Britain &amp; NI (42.92) Ht 2:&nbsp;Spain (42.18), Jamaica (42.51), Germany (42.98) Ht 3: United States (42.86), Canada (43.11), Netherlands (43.13) 
<h2>Mixed 4x100m makes debut</h2>
The session had started in historic style as the mixed 4x100m was held at the World Relays for the first time.
Samuele Ceccarelli anchored Italy to a first heat win, the 2023 European indoor champion holding off France&rsquo;s Antoine Thoraval as they clinched the top two spots to qualify for the final &ndash; 41.15 to 41.28.
But there was disappointment for USA and Poland, as USA fumbled on the second changeover &ndash; during the new woman to man baton exchange between Jada Mowatt and Kendal Williams &ndash; and Poland struggled on the third and failed to finish.
The new event features a running order of woman, woman, man, man, and Jamaica got off to a strong start in the second heat through multiple global relay gold medallist Natasha Morrison and Krystal Sloley. Javari Thomas then handed over to Rasheed Foster and although Great Britain&rsquo;s Joe Ferguson finished fast, Foster held him off by just 0.01 to triumph in 41.04. Host team China was third in 41.30 &ndash; enough to clinch them a place in the final on time.
Canada went quicker to win the third heat, Eliezer Adjibi storming down the home straight to overpower Belgium&rsquo;s Rendel Vermeulen and Australia&rsquo;s Josiah John.&nbsp;
John and Vermeulen had been pretty evenly matched at the last handover before Adjibi powered past and John chased him down to clinch the second automatic place for the final. Belgium will join Canada &ndash; whose quartet also included Gabrielle Cole, Jacqueline Madogo and Duan Asemota &ndash; and Australia in that final as the fastest non automatic qualifying team.
"It was exciting to be in a brand new event," said&nbsp;Asemota. "So, no matter what we do, we're gonna make history. Our team just won the Olympics, so it's a rich tradition for 4x100m."
<h3>Progressing to World Relays mixed 4x100m final</h3>
Ht 1:&nbsp;Italy (41.15), France (41.28) Ht 2: Jamaica (41.04), Great Britain &amp; NI (41.05), China (41.30) Ht 3:&nbsp;Canada (40.90), Australia (41.15), Belgium (41.24) 
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

The mixed 4x100m launched in dramatic fashion to kick off the first day of competition at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

Japan, South Africa and Spain lead 4x100m heats, mixed relay makes dramatic debut in Guangzhou

&ldquo;First and foremost, it&rsquo;s team camaraderie,&rdquo; says Akani Simbine when asked about the art of relay running. &ldquo;If a team actually get along, then they are able to make it work.&rdquo;
After anchoring South Africa to men&rsquo;s 4x100m silver at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Simbine returns to relay action at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 this weekend (10-11 May), where he will be joined by two of his teammates from that final in Paris &ndash; Bradley Nkoana and Bayanda Walaza.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/681edfab3d035d357dfd6706.jpg" alt="Akani Simbine and Bradley Nkoana at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25" />
Akani Simbine and Bradley Nkoana at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 (&copy; World Athletics)
</div>
The aim is to qualify for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September and make another statement following that medal-winning performance in Paris.
&ldquo;The big thing with the placing of the guys &ndash; everybody wants to be the anchor, because they feel like the anchor gets all the limelight," he adds, explaining what makes a successful relay team. "But every position works with different strengths, and every athlete has different strengths. As a coach, when you're putting together a team, it's putting together the guys according to their strengths and not according to egos.
&ldquo;You can have the fastest guys in the world at that time running, but if you don't get the stick around, and you don't have the guys in their best positions running, then it's not going to work out.&rdquo;
It worked out very well in Paris, where world U20 100m and 200m champion Walaza ran the first leg, Shaun Maswanganyi the second, Nkoana the third and Simbine the anchor to clock an African record of 37.57 and secure silver, just 0.07 behind champions Canada.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66cf58a4df54f5b53f83496c.jpg" alt="Akani Simbine, Bradley Nkoana, Shaun Maswanganyi and Bayanda Walaza receive their Olympic medals in Paris" />
Akani Simbine, Bradley Nkoana, Shaun Maswanganyi and Bayanda Walaza receive their Olympic medals in Paris (&copy; Mattia Ozbot)
</div>
&ldquo;It's the camaraderie and everybody just wanting to be part of the team and starting to believe in a relay culture in South Africa,&rdquo; explains Simbine, &ldquo;because before that, we didn't have a relay culture &ndash; it was always just &lsquo;show up and run&rsquo;. Now people are actually believing in getting medals and the importance of getting medals from the World Championships or from the Olympics, and making it a priority. That's a big thing for us now.&rdquo;
After two consecutive Olympic fourth-place finishes in the individual 100m, plus a fifth place in 2016 and one fourth- and two fifth-place 100m finishes at the World Championships, it was Simbine&rsquo;s first global major medal.
&ldquo;South Africa went crazy and went nuts for the medal,&rdquo; he says with a smile. &ldquo;I think it was also a big thing because of me getting a medal at a major championship &ndash; I was able to get a medal, but South Africa was also able to get a medal. That was a great thing. South Africa just loves relays now &ndash; it's a big thing for the sport.&rdquo; 
<div style="padding: 15px 20px 5px 20px; border: 2px solid #adf375;">
<h2>Debut of the mixed 4x100m</h2>
The mixed 4x100m makes its global debut at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 and while South Africa won&rsquo;t be fielding a team this time, Simbine will be watching with interest.
&ldquo;It brings a different taste to athletics. Now, it is not just about having the fastest men or the fastest women, it is about having the fastest team. The relay is a team event in an individual sport and that&rsquo;s the most exciting part of it. I am going to be watching and supporting, to see how it works out.&rdquo;
<h3>Akani Simbine&rsquo;s mixed 4x100m dream team:</h3>
Leg 1: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) Leg 2: Shericka Jackson (JAM) Leg 3: Yohan Blake (JAM) Leg 4: Akani Simbine (RSA)
</div>
 Since then, Simbine has added a first major international individual medal to his CV as he claimed 60m bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing in March. He is also unbeaten outdoors so far this year &ndash; following his season opener in Botswana with Diamond League wins in Xiamen and Shanghai/Keqiao.
Having won in Botswana in 9.90, and followed that with 9.99 in Xiamen and 9.98 in Shanghai/Keqiao, Simbine has dipped under 10 seconds for 100m in each of the past 11 years.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/681edfd13d035d357dfd6709.jpg" alt="Akani Simbine at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25" />
Akani Simbine at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 (&copy; World Athletics)
</div>
And the 31-year-old believes that medal in Paris was just the start.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s bringing a lot of momentum, the winning momentum,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;It's not like I didn't have confidence, but I have more confidence in myself. I'm also at a place where I'm very content. I'm not making getting a medal my sole purpose &ndash; it's more about perfecting the craft of running, perfecting the craft of sprinting, and trying to make it as best as I can.&rdquo;
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

“First and foremost, it’s team camaraderie,” says Akani Simbine when asked about the art of relay running. “If a team actually get along, then they are able to make it work.”

Simbine: camaraderie the root of the relay

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe reinforced the importance of a &ldquo;historic&rdquo; edition of the World Athletics Relays, speaking on the eve of an event that sees the mixed 4x100m make its global debut.
The World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25, taking place in the Chinese city on Saturday and Sunday (10-11 May), is the main qualifying competition for relay events at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. Multiple world and Olympic medallists are among the athletes who are in Guangzhou to compete for their tickets to Tokyo, as well as for World Relays titles and prize money.
&ldquo;I know I speak for all of World Athletics when I say we are delighted to be back in China for the second time this year,&rdquo; said Coe, referencing a return to China following the first World Athletics Series event of the year &ndash; the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 &ndash; in March.
&ldquo;This is an important event &ndash; and there is a lot at stake for the athletes. It is also a historic event, as the 4x100m mixed relay makes its global debut at the World Relays.
&ldquo;We have a thrilling few days of competition ahead, with approximately 700 of the world&rsquo;s fastest sprinters &ndash; a few of them sitting here with us today &ndash; vying for their tickets to Tokyo later in the year. In the longer term, and most importantly, we are hoping to build excitement and leave a lasting legacy here in China, where we have big plans for our sport.&rdquo;
Four World Athletics Series events are being staged in Chinese cities between 2025 and 2027. After the competitions in Nanjing and Guangzhou, Yangzhou will host the World Athletics Road Running Championships in March 2027 before Beijing holds the prestigious World Athletics Championships later in 2027.
Ms. Tan Aiying, Executive Deputy Director-General of the event organising committee and Director-General of Guangzhou Administration of Sport, said: &ldquo;The World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 holds special significance in three aspects. First, this is a journey of cooperation that connects the world. It is a milestone in the sports history of Guangzhou and another landmark in the glorious journey of Chinese athletics. Second, this is a grand relay festival that brings together the best of the world. Most importantly, this is a significant opportunity to promote athletics. By hosting this event, we hope that more people will understand, appreciate and participate in athletics, thus boosting athletics in China and inspiring more young people in Guangzhou to embrace sports and athletics.&rdquo;
China&rsquo;s Olympic and world medallist Su Bingtian, ambassador for the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25, joined them at the press conference, which also marked the conclusion of the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/kenya-wins-relay-around-the-world-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kids&rsquo; Athletics Relay Around the World Challenge</a>. As part of the activity, Su received the final baton from a local young runner who completed the anchor leg of the relay.
Looking ahead to the weekend&rsquo;s competition, he said: &ldquo;I really wanted to participate in the event, personally on the track, however with my age and my physical ability, it was not suitable for me. I am here with another identity.
&ldquo;The whole Chinese team has made a lot of breakthroughs. We went to the United States, to Europe &ndash; we experienced a lot of different kinds of training from the top teams. It is our honour to participate and compete with them.&rdquo;
Among the athletes who will be on the track in Guangzhou are Akani Simbine, Liang Xiaojing and Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, who also shared their thoughts ahead of the competition.
Simbine anchored South Africa to Olympic 4x100m silver in Paris and as well as wanting to help his team to qualify for Tokyo, he is excited to see the mixed 4x100m in action.
&ldquo;It was great to be part of a team that brought an Olympic medal to South Africa,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But also, for me to see the next generation of South African sprinters coming through, and be a spearhead and a motivator for that.
&ldquo;The mixed (relay) is a good idea. It brings a different taste to athletics. Now, it is not just about having the fastest men or the fastest women, it is about having the fastest team. I am going to be watching and supporting, to see how it works out.&rdquo;
China&rsquo;s Liang reached the 60m final at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing and now welcomes the world to her home city.&nbsp;
&ldquo;This is a world stage and for every single one of us, as we are representing the country &ndash; that is extremely important and it is an honour for us to participate,&rdquo; she said.
&ldquo;My 7.14 (personal best) in Nanjing is a good starting point and I hope to show a different me in the international arena, to attract the excellent youngsters in China to love athletics, to become sprinters and to inspire more people to run.&rdquo;
The World Athletics Relays is a step for many athletes on the road to Tokyo and Japan&rsquo;s Sani Brown understandably relishes the opportunity of a home World Championships.
&ldquo;It is going to be a one-time life experience,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Making track and field popular in Japan &ndash; having people come to the stadium and watch us perform, and giving the local people the dream and excitement &ndash; it&rsquo;s a really good opportunity for us and we will try and deliver something amazing.
&ldquo;The relay is our legacy,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Our coaches and the retired athletes taught the young ones how the relay is not only one generation. Everything gets taught down and coaches experiment and try to adapt. As a whole team, our personal bests are not as high as other countries, but we manage to catch up with our technique. That&rsquo;s the best part about relays &ndash; it&rsquo;s all teamwork.&rdquo;
World Athletics

Teams target tickets to Tokyo as Coe hails "historic" World Relays in Guangzhou

Don&rsquo;t miss out! Here&rsquo;s your chance to win a signed baton from the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25.
Enter now for the opportunity to win one of 10 signed batons from the event in China.
We already have signed batons from sprinting superstars like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Akani Simbine, Andre de Grasse, Liang Xiaojing and Kenny Bednarek. More big names to be revealed after the event &ndash; don't miss your chance to win!
Entries close on Monday 19 May 2025 at 5:00pm CEST.
This competition has closed.
Winners will be contacted via email after the closing date.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Here’s your chance to win a signed baton from the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

Win a limited edition signed baton!

<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/timetable/bydiscipline/mixed/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">timetable</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/relays/4x400-metres-relay/all/mixed/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/relays/4x400-metres-relay/all/mixed/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-athletics-relays-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Relays records</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x400m explainer</a>
&nbsp;
There won&rsquo;t be another instalment of the epic USA-Netherlands duels that have highlighted recent global mixed relay finals as the latter team won&rsquo;t be contesting this discipline in Guangzhou.
The last time the two nations clashed in the mixed 4x400m, the Netherlands came out on top by claiming Olympic gold in Paris, but the USA made history by setting a world record of 3:07.41 in the heats.
It speaks volumes of the nation&rsquo;s depth and dominance that none of their individual or relay medallists from the Paris 2024 Olympics will feature on their mixed 4x400m team in Guangzhou, yet the USA &ndash; winners at the 2023 World Championships and 2024 World Relays &ndash; will still start as the overwhelming favourites for this title in Guangzhou.
Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland finished one place behind USA at the 2024 Olympics and at the 2023 World Championships. They earned world silver in Budapest in 3:11.06, then claimed bronze at the Paris Games, but improved to 3:08.01 to become the third fastest nation in history. They&rsquo;ll be aiming for their first World Relays mixed 4x400m podium finish in Guangzhou.
Ireland claimed a surprise third-place finish at the last edition of the World Relays, then went on to strike gold at the European Championships, finishing almost a second ahead of a full-strength Dutch team. Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley, both of whom were standout performers on last year&rsquo;s Irish quartet, will be heading to Guangzhou.
Belgium finished one place short of the podium at the Paris Olympics last year, so has plenty of motivation to carry through into 2025. Alexander Doom, the individual and 4x400m gold medallist at the 2024 World Indoors, has been named in their mixed 4x400m squad for Guangzhou.
Poland, winners of the inaugural Olympic mixed 4x400m title back in 2021, can never be discounted in this discipline. Italy, who won at the World Relays earlier that year, has also remained a threat in recent seasons.
The Dominican Republic, winners of the 2022 world title, could also feature, but their star athlete &ndash; world and Olympic 400m champion Marileidy Paulino &ndash; will not be in Guangzhou.
Other nations to look out for in this event include 2019 world silver medallists Jamaica, world leaders Colombia, France and Nigeria.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

There won’t be another instalment of the epic USA-Netherlands duels that have highlighted recent global mixed relay finals as the latter team won’t be contesting this discipline in Guangzhou.

WRE Guangzhou 25 preview: all to play for in mixed 4x400m

<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/timetable/bydiscipline/men/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">timetable</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/relays/4x400-metres-relay/all/men/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/relays/4x400-metres-relay/all/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-athletics-relays-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Relays records</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x400m explainer</a>
&nbsp;
USA was disqualified during the heats at last year&rsquo;s World Athletics Relays but rebounded to pip Botswana to the Olympic title in Paris. The World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 offers them a men&rsquo;s 4x400m rematch on 10-11 May.
USA and Botswana ran the second- and third-fastest men&rsquo;s 4x400m performances of all time in Paris &ndash; an Olympic record of 2:54.43 by USA and an African record of 2:54.53 by Botswana to just miss the world record of 2:54.29 set by USA in Stuttgart in 1993.
It was a 19th Olympic title in the event for USA, represented by a quartet of Christopher Bailey, Vernon Norwood, Bryce Deadmon and Rai Benjamin in the final. Those athletes do not feature in the US team this time, but with the nation&rsquo;s strength in depth the squad will be hoping for a smooth run to secure a spot at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 in September &ndash; where USA would start as the defending champion and winner of nine of the past 10 world titles in the event. The top 14 teams in Guangzhou will automatically qualify for Tokyo.
Among the athletes hoping to help USA get there is Justin Robinson, who formed part of the gold medal-winning men&rsquo;s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m quartets at the 2023 World Championships, and Elija Godwin, a member of the victorious men&rsquo;s 4x400m team at the 2022 World Championships. It is a return to China for Godwin, who more recently ran the first leg for the US team that won the world indoor title in Nanjing in March.
USA might be the dominant force when it comes to major championship wins but Botswana put up a remarkable fight in Paris, anchored by Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo with a 43.04 split. Botswana also won at last year&rsquo;s World Athletics Relays in The Bahamas in 2:59.11, becoming the first African nation to win a men&rsquo;s sprint event at the World Relays.
South Africa was runner-up to Botswana at the last World Relays and the squad &ndash; featuring world 400m record-holder Wayde van Niekerk &ndash; looks ready to challenge again. Van Niekerk is joined by Lythe Pillay, Zakithi Nene and Gardeo Isaacs, who also formed part of the 2024 team in The Bahamas as well as the Olympic quartet that finished fifth in the final in Paris.
Bronze on that day in Paris was claimed by Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland in a European record of 2:55.83 and three members of that squad &ndash; Toby Harries, who ran in the heats, as well as finalists Lewis Davey and Charlie Dobson &ndash; are back in action.
Belgium was third behind Botswana and South Africa at the World Relays before finishing fourth at the Olympics and their team for Guangzhou features all four members of that World Relays quartet &ndash; Dylan Borlee, Robin Vanderbemden, Alexander Doom and Jonathan Sacoor &ndash; plus Florent Mabille, who anchored the team that included Sacoor and Borlee in Paris.
France secured world silver ahead of Great Britain in Budapest two years ago and will want to book their place for Tokyo to have a chance of adding to that global medal haul. Gilles Biron, David Sombe and anchor Teo Andant return for international duty in Guangzhou.
Another global medal-winning team in action is Jamaica, who most recently secured silver behind USA at the World Indoor Championships. Rusheen McDonald and Demar Francis are back in the squad again. The host nation finished fourth in that final in Nanjing and China also fields a team in Guangzhou, including Zheng Chiyu and Zhang Qining.
Other teams targeting World Championships places include Olympic finalists Zambia, world finalists India and Netherlands, and current world leaders Kenya &ndash; who ran 3:00.87 last month in Nairobi.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

USA was disqualified during the heats at last year’s World Athletics Relays but rebounded to pip Botswana to the Olympic title in Paris. The World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 offers them a men’s 4x400m rematch on 10-11 May.

WRE Guangzhou 25 preview: rivalries renewed in men’s 4x400m

<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/timetable/bydiscipline/women/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">timetable</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/relays/4x400-metres-relay/all/women/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/relays/4x400-metres-relay/all/women/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-athletics-relays-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Relays records</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x400m explainer</a>
&nbsp;
Of all the teams competing at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25, the US women&rsquo;s 4x400m quartet will probably be the strongest favourites to win.
The USA has dominated the women&rsquo;s 4x400m for decades. There has, of course, been the occasional blunder over the years &ndash; like at the 2023 World Championships &ndash; that has led to other nations picking up major titles.
Their team for Guangzhou will be without individual Olympic champions Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone &ndash; both of whom contributed to USA&rsquo;s 4x400m victory at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games &ndash; but they still have good strength in depth, helped by sub-50-second performers Kendall Ellis and Lynna Irby-Jackson, part of USA&rsquo;s gold-medal-winning team at the 2021 Olympics.
The USA&rsquo;s task will be made slightly easier due to the absence of the Netherlands, the world champions. But there are still several other teams who&rsquo;ll contend for victory in pursuit of securing a place at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
Poland finished second to the USA at the World Indoor Championships earlier this year and at last year&rsquo;s World Relays. Olympic bronze medallist Natalia Bukowiecka will be a key component of their team, so too will the highly experienced Justyna Swiety-Ersetic.
World silver medallists Jamaica will also likely prove to be formidable opponents. Hurdles specialists Shiann Salmon and Andrenette Knight feature in their pool for Guangzhou.
Three of the four women who represented Great Britain in the 4x400m final at last year&rsquo;s Paris Olympics, earning bronze, will be in Guangzhou. They finished just shy of the podium at the last World Relays, so will be aiming for at least a top-three finish this time.
At least year&rsquo;s Olympics, Ireland earned the unfortunate honour of producing the fastest ever time for a fourth-place finish. They shattered their national record with 3:19.90 but finished just shy of the podium. All four women from that quartet have been selected for Guangzhou, and they won&rsquo;t want to miss out on another podium placing.
Canada claimed third place at the last World Relays and they&rsquo;ll likely be in the mix once more. The likes of Belgium, France and Kenya should also be in the hunt for a place in the final.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

Of all the teams competing at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25, the US women’s 4x400m quartet will probably be the strongest favourites to win.

WRE Guangzhou 25 preview: USA ready to defend their honour in women's 4x400m

<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/timetable/bydiscipline/mixed/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">timetable</a> |&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-athletics-relays-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Relays records</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x100m explainer</a>
&nbsp;
Relays are thrillingly unpredictable at the best of times, but the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 will take things up another notch with the introduction of a new event: the mixed 4x100m.
Contested during both days of the competition on 10-11 May, the mixed 4x100m will make its global debut in Guangzhou and some of the sport&rsquo;s biggest names are ready to make sure it launches in style.
Three-time Olympic and 10-time world gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has been named for the Jamaica squad alongside 2011 world 100m champion Yohan Blake, while all four members of Canada&rsquo;s gold medal-winning men&rsquo;s 4x100m team from the Paris Olympics are entered for Guangzhou along with their Olympic women&rsquo;s 4x100m finalist teammates.
A total of 18 federations are listed for the new event, which in Guangzhou will feature a running order of woman, woman, man, man. As well as forming part of this year&rsquo;s World Athletics Relays programme, the mixed 4x100m will be contested at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in 2026.
USA and Canada respectively claimed the women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s Olympic 4x100m titles in Paris last year and both are entered for the mixed 4x100m in Guangzhou.
While certain athletes have been listed specifically for the mixed 4x100m, any athlete named for any event could also be drafted into the squad for another discipline in Guangzhou.
For Canada, that means they have four Olympic relay champions to choose from in Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney, plus Olympic finalists in Sade McCreath, Jacqueline Madogo, Marie-Eloise Leclair and Audrey Leduc.
And for USA, two-time Olympic 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek, Courtney Lindsey or Kyree King &ndash; who all formed part of the victorious US men&rsquo;s 4x100m quartet at the last edition of the World Athletics Relays &ndash; could combine with Twanisha Terry, who ran the second leg as part of USA&rsquo;s gold medal-winning women&rsquo;s 4x100m team at the Paris Olympics, plus 2022 world indoor 60m silver medallist Mikiah Brisco, should they be drafted across having been named in the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 4x100m squads. The team also includes Pjai Austin and Kayla White.
Then there&rsquo;s Jamaica, which has Olympic 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson and two-time world 200m champion Shericka Jackson respectively named for the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 4x100m. They could also be included in the mixed 4x100m squad alongside Fraser-Pryce and Blake, plus Ackeem Blake or Natasha Morrison.
Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland has five-time global 4x100m medallist Asha Philip and European 100m medallist Romell Glave named for the mixed 4x100m, and four athletes from the Paris Olympics &ndash; relay silver medallists Amy Hunt, Desiree Henry and Bianca Williams plus bronze medallist Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake &ndash; named across the other squads.&nbsp;
The Italian squads star three of the four Tokyo Olympic 4x100m gold medal-winning team members &ndash; Filippo Tortu, Lorenzo Patta and Eseosa Fostine Desalu &ndash; together with Dalia Kaddari, Irene Siragusa and Arianna de Masi, who qualified their nation for the Paris Olympics at the last edition of the World Relays in The Bahamas.
The team for the host nation features Olympic relay finalist Chen Jiapeng and Li Yuting, while Nigeria is represented by Olympic 200m finalist Favour Ofili, Udodi Onwuzurike and Favour Ashe.
Other federations in action include Australia, with world indoor 60m silver medallist Lachlan Kennedy and Bree Rizzo, plus Germany and France.
Teams will want to make their mark in this new event, which involves heats on day one before the final on day two, but as they adjust to fresh race strategies the focus could simply be to get the baton around safely.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

Relays are thrillingly unpredictable at the best of times, but the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 will take things up another notch with the introduction of a whole new event: the mixed 4x100m

WRE Guangzhou 25 preview: mixed 4x100m makes debut

<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/timetable/bydiscipline/men/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">timetable</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/relays/4x100-metres-relay/all/men/senior/2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/relays/4x100-metres-relay/all/men/senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-athletics-relays-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Relays records</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x100m explainer</a>
&nbsp;
As with any men&rsquo;s 4x100m at a global event, the unrivalled strength and depth of the USA should make them the favourites.
But, also as with any men&rsquo;s 4x100m at a global event, the pre-event favourites &ndash; or indeed any other team &ndash; can falter.
The USA will be without world champion Noah Lyles, who anchored his team to victory at the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 World Relays. But they still head to Guangzhou with the best depth of any team, led by Kenny Bednarek.
The two-time Olympic 200m silver medallist recently sped to a wind-assisted 9.79 over 100m and a world-leading 19.84 over 200m at the Grand Slam meeting in Miramar. He&rsquo;ll be keen to gain redemption, too, after setting off too early on the second leg &ndash; which ultimately led to USA&rsquo;s disqualification &ndash; in the 4x100m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
He&rsquo;s joined on the US team by world 200m silver medallist Erriyon Knighton, 9.93 performer Brandon Hicklin and Courtney Lindsay, who anchored the US team to a 37.47 heat win at the Paris Olympics &ndash; faster than the eventual winning time in the final.
Canada struck gold on that occasion, clocking 37.50, and their full quartet from that race &ndash; Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre de Grasse &ndash; will be in Guangzhou. The same four men, albeit in a different order, finished second behind the USA at the last World Relays, and they&rsquo;ve already displayed good form this season with a 37.90 clocking.
That time puts them second on the world list behind Australia&rsquo;s Oceanian record of 37.87. Australia had the misfortune of being drawn in a loaded semifinal at the Paris Olympics, eventually finishing sixth in 38.12 and outside of a qualifying spot for the final. Had they been drawn in the other semifinal, they would have won comfortably. Powered by world indoor silver medallist Lachlan Kennedy, their Guangzhou-bound squad appears ready to contend for a podium place.
South Africa finished just 0.07 behind Canada to take silver at the Paris Olympics. Three of the four members of that team will be in Guangzhou, led by world indoor bronze medallist Akani Simbine, who is unbeaten in all three of his international 100m races this year.
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake leads the British team, having formed part of the squad at the Paris Olympics where Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland took bronze. This time the team will be missing world indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu, who has withdrawn due to injury.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The depth of Jamaica also cannot be ignored. The world bronze medallists will be fielding a team that includes Olympic 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson, 2024 world indoor bronze medallist Ackeem Blake, 9.91 performer Rohan Watson, and 2011 world champion Yohan Blake &ndash; one of the few athletes in Guangzhou who competed at the inaugural World Relays 11 years ago.
Other teams to look out for include Italy, France, China and Japan &ndash; all of whom made the Olympic final last year.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

As with any men’s 4x100m at a global event, the unrivalled strength and depth of the USA should make them the favourites

WRE Guangzhou 25 preview: Olympic rematch and redemption the theme in men’s 4x100m

<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/timetable/bydiscipline/women/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">timetable</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/toplists/relays/4x100-metres-relay/all/women/senior/2025?regionType=world&amp;timing=electronic&amp;page=1&amp;bestResultsOnly=true&amp;maxResultsByCountry=all&amp;eventId=204594&amp;ageCategory=senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 world list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/relays/4x100-metres-relay/all/women/senior?regionType=world&amp;timing=electronic&amp;page=1&amp;bestResultsOnly=true&amp;firstDay=1900-01-01&amp;lastDay=2025-05-05&amp;maxResultsByCountry=all&amp;eventId=204594&amp;ageCategory=senior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world all-time list</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-athletics-relays-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Relays records</a> | <a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x100m explainer</a>
 USA broke a 10-year-old championship record when winning the women&rsquo;s 4x100m at last year&rsquo;s World Athletics Relays and went on to clinch the Olympic crown in Paris ahead of Great Britain and Germany.
Now, with places at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 up for grabs, those Olympic medal-winners are among the 20 federations contesting the women&rsquo;s 4x100m at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 on 10-11 May.
A clash of global medallists wouldn&rsquo;t be complete without Jamaica, whose fifth-place finish in Paris was the first time since 2008 that the nation had not featured on the Olympic podium. A squad starring two-time world 200m champion Shericka Jackson will be looking to make a statement in Guangzhou.
After finishing fifth in the 100m final, Twanisha Terry ran the second leg as part of USA&rsquo;s gold medal-winning 4x100m quartet at the Paris Olympics and the 26-year-old makes her World Relays debut in Guangzhou. That Olympic title was Terry&rsquo;s third consecutive global 4x100m gold after USA&rsquo;s wins at the World Championships in Oregon in 2022 and Budapest in 2023.
This time her teammates include 2022 world indoor 60m silver medallist Mikiah Brisco, who raced on USA&rsquo;s victorious team at the 2019 World Relays, and Cambrea Sturgis, the 2021 double NCAA champion.
USA and Jamaica have filled the top two spots at three of the past four global championships and Jamaica will want to resume that tradition at the World Championships in Tokyo in September. The top 14 teams in Guangzhou will automatically qualify for Tokyo, the city in which Jamaica claimed Olympic gold in 2021.
Jackson anchored Jamaica to that Olympic triumph, but injury denied her the chance to compete at last year&rsquo;s Games in Paris. She returned to competition in March and most recently finished second in the 200m at the Diamond League in Xiamen.
She is the sole member of that Olympic final-winning quartet listed for the women&rsquo;s 4x100m in Guangzhou, but she is joined in the squad again by Natasha Morrison, who ran in the heats in Tokyo and helped to secure silver at the 2023 World Championships. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the 16-time world medallist, has been named for the mixed 4x100m in Guangzhou, although it is in the rules of the event that any athlete named in any discipline can be drafted into the squad for another discipline.
Alana Reid and Olympic 100m finalist Tia Clayton, who helped Jamaica to finish fifth at the Paris Olympics, are also among the entries.
Three members of Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland&rsquo;s Paris Olympics squad have been selected for Guangzhou. Amy Hunt, who ran the third leg in the heats and final, is joined by her heat teammates Desiree Henry and Bianca Williams, plus five-time global 4x100m medallist Asha Philip.
Germany&rsquo;s Olympic bronze medallists Lisa Mayer and Rebekka Haase, who ran in the final in Paris, and their teammate Sophia Junk, who joined them in the heats, are all in action, while Chloe Galet and Helene Parisot &ndash; members of the French team that finished runner-up to USA in the final at last year&rsquo;s World Relays before finishing fourth at the home Olympics &ndash; feature in the squad again.
The world lead of 41.74 was achieved by a US quartet in Austin in March, while Canada&rsquo;s Sade McCreath, Marie-Eloise Leclair, Audrey Leduc and Catherine Leger combined to clock 42.73 in Baton Rouge last month and they are all set for Guangzhou.
World indoor 60m finalist Liang Xiaojing and Ge Manqi, who helped China to sixth place in the Tokyo Olympic 4x100m final, both return to World Relays action for the host federation.
Other teams targeting a place in the final &ndash; or at least a top 14 spot to earn World Championships qualification &ndash; include African champions Nigeria, whose squad stars Favour Ofili who has already run 10.99 for 100m this season, plus Olympic finalists Netherlands and Switzerland, as well as Liberia, Australia and Italy.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

Olympic medal-winners are among the 20 federations contesting the women’s 4x100m at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 on 10-11 May

Spain's rise in the relays on show in Guangzhou

South Africa voted best team at the World Relays

WCH Tokyo 25 relay fields take shape at World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

USA, Spain and South Africa claim 4x400m titles in Guangzhou

South Africa, Great Britain and Canada claim 4x100m crowns in Guangzhou