WCH Tokyo 25 Preview: Women’s 4x400m Relay – A Battle for Relay Supremacy
The women’s 4x400m relay at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 promises a thrilling contest,wiht several nations vying for gold.The United States,historically dominant with 10 titles as 1993,are persistent to reclaim their position after a disqualification at the 2023 Budapest championships due to a baton exchange outside the takeover zone. They demonstrated their potential with a gold medal performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The American squad in Tokyo will feature Alexis Holmes and Gabby Thomas, both members of the victorious olympic team, alongside Lynna Irby-Jackson (a 2021 Olympic gold medalist) and Britton Wilson. This quartet currently holds the world’s fastest time of 3:23.24. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, a double Olympic champion and world record holder in the 400m hurdles, will also be a key athlete for the US, seeking her first global title on the flat. Aaliyah Butler and Isabella Whittaker complete the US individual 400m contingent.
Defending champions the Netherlands, led by the versatile Femke bol – also competing in the 400m hurdles – will be strong contenders. They secured their first World Championship gold in Budapest and achieved a championship record of 3:24.34 at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn.
Great Britain, Olympic bronze medalists in 2024, returns with three members of that record-breaking team: Amber Anning, Nicole Yeargin, and Victoria Ohuruogu.They will aim to improve upon their silver medal from the European Indoors.
A surprise contender has emerged in Spain, who upset the field at the 2024 World Relays in Guangzhou, winning in a national record of 3:24.13, defeating the USA. South Africa finished third in Guangzhou with a national record of 3:24.84, while Norway also set a national record to place fourth.
Other teams to watch include Italy, France, Canada, and Germany, all of whom competed in the World Relays final. Qualifying for the championship final also came through repechage races, where Great Britain and Ireland secured their spots, finishing ahead of Belgium/Poland and Australia/Switzerland respectively.Ireland’s qualification is notable, having finished fourth at the Paris 2024 Games.
Jamaica, consistently a force in the event with podium finishes in all but two World Championships since 2001, will also be looking to rebound after failing to finish in the olympic final last year.
Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics
