World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24: USA claim four titles; Botswana triumphant in men's 4x400
Team USA confirmed itself as the relay nation to beat ahead of the Paris 2024 athletics event.
The U.S. men and women swept four of five finals at the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 on Sunday (5 May), with the Botswana men claiming the title in the 4x400m relay after the Americans were disqualified in Saturday's heats.
World champions Noah Lyles and Gabby Thomas helped the U.S. to wins in respective 4x100m races, with Thomas lacing up a second time as the U.S. women ran to a world lead in the 4x400m (3:21.70).
Olympic quota spots were on the line throughout the two-day event, with 14 of the 16 spots filled in each discipline: Men's and women's 4x100m relay; men's and women's 4x400m relay; and the mixed 4x400m relay.
Some 1600 athletes descended on Nassau, Bahamas, including athletics megastars Lyles, Thomas, Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs, world champion Femke Bol and more.
In the highly-anticipated men's 4x100m relay, Courtney Lindsey gave the U.S. a lead it would never relinquish, with Kenny Bednarek and Kyree King joining Lyles in a world lead time of 37.40, the Americans never looking threatened by Canada, anchored by Olympic champ Andre De Grasse, who finished second (37.89).
Jacobs led Italy initially to bronze but the defending champions were later disqualified, giving third place to France.
The U.S. women were also runaway champs in the 4x100, with Thomas running the second leg. Tamari Davis, Thomas, Celera Barnes and Melissa Jefferson clocked a 41.85, a championship record, with France surprising for silver (42.75).
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024."
Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.
World Relays: Tebogo leads Botswana effort
While the U.S. shined in four finals, Botswana took advantage of the fifth - where the American men had been DQ'd for illegal movement in the hand-off zone in Saturday's heats. (The U.S. men secured their Paris quota in the repechage round Sunday.)
World medallist in the 100 and 200m, Letsile Tebogo showed his range, putting Botswana into a lead it would never give up. He was joined by Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, Leungo Scotch and anchor Bayapo Ndori in the win, their 2:59.11 a world lead in 2024.
South Africa, which ran without 400m Olympic champ Wayde van Niekerk, was second at 3:00.75.
Earlier, in the mixed 4x400, American Kendell Ellis held off a surging Bol, a world champ in both the 400m hurdles and 4x400 relay, to secure the U.S. its first of four finals wins in 3:10.73 - and they'd never look back.
Olympic champions Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner gave the home fans something to cheer about in the very first race of the evening, winning their repechage heat in the 4x400 mixed relay to obtain their Paris spot.
Sunday was full of spellbinding moments, including Liberia's come-from-behind finish in the first men's 4x100 repechage heat. Joseph Fahnbulleh anchored the squad, clipping Switzerland at the line to claim their Paris spot.
Their 38.65 was a Liberian national record, too.