The World Athletics Relays begin this afternoon in Gaborone, Botswana, as the world’s top relay teams gather for a two-day competition that is not only about winning medals, but also about earning important qualification spots for major international championships.
Competition commences at 3:00pm local time, with national federations fielding their strongest available squads in a bid to etch their names into the relay record books and, more importantly, secure qualification to next year’s championship in Beijing, China.
The stakes could scarcely be higher. World Athletics has confirmed that twelve countries will earn automatic qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Championships through their performances in Gaborone, making every heat lane a potential gateway to Beijing. For countries still striving to build their relay programmes on the global stage, this competition represents one of the most accessible and direct routes to elite international competition available on the athletics calendar.
Number of Athletes for the Championship
700+ Athletes Competing
40 Countries Represented
12 World Championship Berths Available
The most anticipated individual presence at the Gaborone stadium is undoubtedly Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s reigning 100-metre record holder, who will anchor Kenya’s men’s 4×100 metres relay team in what promises to be one of the most fiercely contested sprinting exchanges of the year.
His Kenyan squad faces a formidable test in the men’s 4×100 metres. Defending World Relays champions South Africa, who triumphed in Guangzhou last year courtesy of a superb anchor leg from Olympic silver medallist Akani Simbine, supported by Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, and Bradley Nkoana return to defend their title.
The United States brings a powerhouse contingent featuring Courtney Lindsey, Kyree King, Ronnie Baker, Pjai Austin, and Brandon Carnes, while Jamaica, ever a force on the relay circuit, will be anchored by reigning Olympic champion Ackeem Blake, alongside Rohan Watson, Kadrian Goldson, and Ryiem Forde.
Great Britain deploys an experienced European contingent in Jeremiah Azu, Zharnel Hughes, and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, and Canada the reigning Olympic 4×100 metre champions brings its celebrated title-winning configuration of Andre De Grasse, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney, and Aaron Brown.
The breadth of talent in this event alone affirms why the World Athletics Relays has grown into one of the most compelling team competitions in global athletics.
Men’s 4×100m: Key National Squads
South Africa
Akani Simbine, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana, Bayanda Walaza
United States
Courtney Lindsey, Kyree King, Ronnie Baker, Pjai Austin, Brandon Carnes
Jamaica
Ackeem Blake, Rohan Watson, Kadrian Goldson, Ryiem Forde
Canada
Andre De Grasse, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney, Aaron Brown
Great Britain
Jeremiah Azu, Zharnel Hughes, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake
Kenya
Ferdinand Omanyala (anchor) + squad
Mixed & Women’s 4x400m: A Crowded Field
Kenya’s ambitions are not confined to the sprint relays. The country’s mixed 4×400 metres squad comprising Mercy Oketch, David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet, and Brian Tinega carries the motivation of a third-place finish at the Guangzhou edition into Gaborone.
In China, Kenya took bronze behind Australia in second and the United States, who remain the defending champions in the event. The Kenyan quartet now faces a similarly loaded field in Botswana, with Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Spain, Great Britain, France, and Germany all expected to mount serious challenges.
In the men’s 4×400 metres, Kenya’s relay unit of Boniface Mweresa, Kevin Kipkorir, Zablon Ekwam, and Kelvin Kiprotich will be looking forward to improve on their fifth-place result from last year’s competition.
The women’s 4×400 metres sees Germany enter as the defending champion, with the event attracting many of the same competing countries as their mixed counterpart.
Ghana’s Draw
For Team Ghana, the draw for the men’s 4×100 metres has produced a difficult first-round assignment. Team Ghana sprint relay team has been placed in Heat 3 alongside rivals Nigeria, powerhouse South Africa, and Great Britain. A grouping that offers both a difficult test and a major opportunity to demonstrate the country’s growing stature on the relay circuit.
The West African country arrives in Gaborone carrying notable momentum, having set a new national record at the previous World Athletics Championships, where the men’s 4×100 metres team produced a fourth-place finish missing the podium only narrowly.
That performance showed that Ghana has become a strong team in international relay athletics, and the competition in Gaborone is seen as an important step in maintaining and improving that position.
A strong result here would not only signal progress but potentially secure Ghana’s place among the confirmed qualifiers for both the 2027 World Championship.
World Athletics has outlined a structured route to both the 2027 World Athletics Championship in Beijing and the 2026 World Ultimate Championship in Budapest.
Day One Automatic Qualifiers: The top two finishers in each of the three heats, plus the next two fastest overall times eight teams per event advance directly to the final and confirm their place in Beijing.
Day Two: Remaining teams return on Sunday, with the top two from each of two additional heats securing the remaining four qualification spots.
World Ultimate Championship: The top six countries in each event in Gaborone will earn automatic selection for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, September 2026.
Day Two finals will determine World Championships seeding positions and govern the distribution of prize money.