The 2024 World Relays was held in Bahamas, between May 4 and May 5. The Relays were used as automatic qualifiers for the Paris Olympics, based on placing or time. Of the five contested finals, the USA won four, except the men’s 4 x 400m for which there was disqualification based on a technical rule.
Jamaica fielded weakened pool of athletes, as many of its elite athletes did not make the trip for one reason or another. While Jamaica was unimpressive at the World Relays, it was still able to meet the qualifying standard for the Paris Olympics in four relays. These were, the men’s 4 x 100m, women’s 4 x 100, women’s 4 x 400m and the 4 x400m mixed relays. Based on time (3:02.46), the Jamaican men’s 4 x 400m team did not advance to the final. And, its time last year of 2:59.82 placed it seventeenth in the current year’s world ranking, one place outside the automatic sixteen qualifiers for the Paris Olympics. Nevertheless, Jamaica will have another opportunity in mid-June, to qualify the men’s 4 x 400m team for the Paris Olympics. However, to qualify the men’s 4 x 400m team, Jamaica must run faster than the bubble time of 2:59.18.
Men’s 4 x 100m Final
The USA quartet of Courtney Lindsey, Kenneth Bednarek, Kyree King and Noah Lyles posted a World Lead of 37.40, to win the men’s 4 x 100m final, while the Canadian quartet of Brendon Rodney, Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown and Jerome Blake was second in 37.89 and the French quartet of Meba Mickael Zeze, Jeff Erius, Pablo Maeto and Aymeric Priam was third in 38.44. The field was rounded-out by Japan (Shoma Yamamoto, Hioki Yanagita, Koki Ueyama and Sota Miwa) in 38.45, Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Jona Efoloko and Zharnel Hughes) in 38.45, Republic of China (Zhiqiana WU, Zhijian Deng, Hainin Yan and Jiapeng Chen) in 38.75 and Jamaica (Bryan Levell, Kadrian Goldson, Ryiem Gorde and Sandrey Davison) in 38.88. The Italian quartet of Roberto Rigali, Lamont Marcell Jacobs, Lorenzo Patta and Filippo Tortu was disqualified.
Women’s 4 x 100m Final 1
The USA quartet of Tamari Davis, Gabrielle Thomas, Celera Barnes and Melissa Jefferson won the women’s 4 x 100m Final 1 in 41.85, while the French quartet of Chloe Galet, Gemima Joseph, Helene Parisot and Mallory Leconte was second in 42.75 and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland quartet of Alyson Bell, Amy Hunt, Bianca Williams and Aleeya Sibbons was third in 42.80. The field was rounded-out by Germany (Louise Wieland, Nele Laworski, Gina Luckenkemper and Rebekka Hasse) in 42.93, Australia (Ebony Lane, Bree Masters, Ella Connolly and Torrie Lewis) in 43.02, Netherland (N’Keita Seedo, Marije Van Hunenstijn, Minke Bisschops and Tasa Jiya) in 43.07 and Canada (Sade McCreath, Marie-Eloise Leclair, Audrey Leduc and Donna Ntambue) in 43.09. The Polish quartet of Martyna Kotwila, Monika Romaszko, Magdalena Stefanowicz and Ewa Swoboda did not finish.
Men’s 4 x 400m Final 1
The Botswanan quartet of Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, Letsile Tebogo, Leungo Scotch and Bayapo N’dori won the men’s 4 x 400m in 2:59.11, while the Republic of South Africa quartet of Gardeo Isaacs, Zakithi Nene, Antonie Matthys Nortje and Lythe Pillay was second in 3:00.75 and the Belgian quartet of Dylan Borlee, Robin Vanderbemden, Alexander Doom and Jonathan Sacoor was third in 3:01.16. The field was rounded-out by Japan (Kentaro Sato, Fuga Sato, Yuki Joseph Nakajima and Kaito Kawabata) in 3:01.20, Italy (Luca Sito, Vladimir Aceti, Edoardo Scotti and Davide Re) in 3:01.60, Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Mathew Hudson-Smith, Alex Haydock-Wilson, Joseph Brier and Lewis Davey) in 302.62, Germany (Jean Paul Bredau, Tyrel Prenz, Marc Koch and Manuel Sanders) in 3:05.55 and Nigeria (Dubem Nwachukwu, Dunbem Amene, Sikiru Adewale Adeyemi and Chidi Okezie) in 3:16.68.
Women’s 4 x 400m Final 1
The USA quartet of Quanera Hayes, Gabrielle Thomas, Bailey Lear and Alexis Holmes won the women’s 4 x 400m final 1 in 3:21.70, the Polish quartet of Marika Popowicz , Iga Baumgart-Witan, Justyna Swiety-Ersetic and Natalia Kaczmarek was second in 3:24.71 and the Canadian quartet of Zoe Sherar, Aiyanna Stiverne Alyssa Marsh and Kyra Constantine was third in 3:25.17. Rge field ws rounded-out by Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Victoria Ohuruogu, Lina Nielsen, Emily Newnham and Hannah Kelly) in 3:25.84, Norway (Josefine Tomine Eriksen, Amalie Iuel, Elisabeth Slettum and Henriette Jaeger) in 3:26.88), Italy (Rebecca Borga, Ayomide Folorunso, Virgina Troiani and Giancarla Trevisan) in 3:27.51, Ireland (Phil Healy, Roisin Harrison, Lauren Cadden and Sophie Becker) in 3:30.95 and France (Estelle Rafai Gouanindji, Majorie Veyssiere, Diana Iscaye and Sounkamba Sylla) in 3:30.96.
Mixed Relays 4 x 400m Final
The USA quartet of Mathew Boling, Lynna Irby-Jackson, Willington Wright and Kendall Ellis posted 3:10.73, to win 4 x400m mixed relay, while the Netherland quartet of Isayah Boers, Lieke Klaver, Isayah Klein Ikkink and Femke Bol was second in 3:11.45 and the Irish quartet of Cillin Greene, Rhasidat Adeleke, Thomas Barr and Sharlene Mawdsley was third in 3:11.53. The field was rounded-out in by Nigereia (Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Chidi Okezie and Elo Joseph) in 3:12.87, Dominica Republic (Erick Joel Sanchez, Anabel Medina Ventura, Yeral Nunez and Marileidy Paulino) in 3:16.68 and France (Yarn Spillman, Amandine Brossier, Loic Prevot and Louise Maraval) in 3:17.38. Poland did not start. And, the Belgian quartet of Florent Mabille, Imke Vervaet, Christian Iguacel and Camille Laus was disqualified.
Henley E. Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)
Freelance Sports Writer
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