Paris Olympics preview: 4x400m relays

Women's 4x400m

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• USA has won the past seven Olympic titles in this event
• Opportunity for a McLaughlin-Levrone/Bol showdown
• Ireland and Belgium join Jamaica and Britain in the medal hunt

The women’s Olympic 4x400m title has belonged to the USA from 1996 onwards; suffice to say, the relays powerhouse won’t want to surrender their crown any time soon.

This event at the last two global championships, however, hasn’t quite gone in the USA’s favour.

The Netherlands, anchored by a redemptive run from Femke Bol following her fall in the mixed 4x400m, won the world title in Budapest last year. The Dutch quartet notched up a second global title at this year’s World Indoor Championships in Glasgow where Bol once again ran the final leg.

Bol will no doubt be put to good use in Paris, though by the time she lines up for the women’s 4x400m final – assuming the Netherlands qualify – Bol would have already contested three rounds of the 400m hurdles, as well as one or two rounds of the mixed 4x400m and possibly the first round of the women’s 4x400m.

The USA, meanwhile, has the depth to allow them to save their best runners for the final. They have six women who’ve broken 50 seconds for 400m this year, topped by Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. The 24-year-old ran the first leg for the victorious quartet at the last Olympics, and then ran the final leg for the triumphant US squad at the 2022 World Championships.

Alexis Holmes, who anchored USA to victory in the mixed 4x400m in Budapest last year, is also on the squad for Paris. World 200m leader Gabby Thomas has also expressed a desire to be part of the team.

Beyond the battle between the two reigning global 4x400m champions, the fight for medals looks set to be even more competitive than usual.

Jamaica has made it on to every Olympic podium in this event since 2000, and this year their squad is bolstered by world leader Nickisha Pryce, who recently set a Jamaican 400m record of 48.57.

Great Britain & Northern Ireland took world indoor bronze behind the Netherlands and USA earlier this year, matching their finishing position from the 2022 and 2023 World Championships. They’ll have NCAA indoor champion Amber Anning and recent sub-50-second performer Laviai Nilsen at their disposal.

Ireland finished a close second to the Netherlands at the recent European Championships, clocking a national record of 3:22.71, thanks to sub-50-second splits from Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley.

Belgium took European bronze, consolidating their status as a relay contender, while Italy set a national record of 3:23.40 for fourth.

Canada has performed consistently well in this event at recent global championships, while Poland’s long tradition also cannot be discounted.

Norway and France are two other teams that could feature in the Olympic final.

 

Men's 4x400m

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• USA looking for their 19th Olympic title in this event
• World indoor champions Belgium chasing their first Olympic medal
• Botswana hoping to build on bronze from Tokyo

Aside from the occasions when they have been a non-starter (1972), boycotted (1980) or disqualified (2000), the USA has won all but one Olympic men’s 4x400m titles from 1956 onwards.

Their only true defeat over the past 68 years came in 2012 when The Bahamas claimed gold in an epic showdown.

So while the USA will start as favourites to win another Olympic title in this event, the memories of 12 years ago – when a tiny island nation of just 400,000 people defeated the relays superpower – will give hope to any country lining up in this event in Paris.

There’s no denying the USA will field the strongest team – in terms of pure foot speed – in Paris. Their pool includes US Trials winner Quincy Hall, who has clocked 43.80 this year, relay stalwart Vernon Norwood, 16-year-old prodigy Quincy Wilson, who recently set a world U18 best of 44.20, 2022 world champion Michael Norman, and world 400m hurdles leader Rai Benjamin.

And, of course, there’s a chance that Noah Lyles could make an appearance.

But entry lists only tell half the story. And, as with relays, there’s always the likelihood of drama.

At the World Relays earlier this year, for example, the USA was disqualified from their heat for standing in the wrong order at one of the changeovers, and they only secured their Olympic qualification via the second round.

But even then, their time of 2:59.95 was almost a second shy of Botswana’s winning time (2:59.11) in the main final. The only occasions when Botswana have gone quicker have been at the past two Olympic Games, capped by their national record of 2:57.27 to take bronze in Tokyo.

Their team, which includes the extremely versatile Letsile Tebogo and 44.10 performer Bayapo Ndori, has the potential to at least match their finishing position from three years ago.

South Africa finished second to Botswana at the World Relays in 3:00.75, having clocked 2:59.76 in the first round. Their squad combines youth, in the form of 44.31 runner Lythe Pillay, with the experience of world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk.

Belgium got the better of USA at the World Indoor Championships earlier this year, anchored by individual 400m champion Alexander Doom. They were victorious again at the European Championships in June and will be keen to finally make it on to the podium at the Olympics, having finished fourth in 2008, 2016 and 2021.

Expectations will be high for the host nation. After all, it was in the men’s 4x400m that France earned their only medal at last year’s World Championships, clocking a national record of 2:58.45 in the process.

Great Britain & Northern Ireland took world bronze behind France last year, but in Paris they can call upon Matthew Hudson-Smith, who recently broke the European 400m record with a world-leading 43.74, and Charlie Dobson, who clocked a PB of 44.23 in that same race.

The Netherlands finished closest to the USA at the last Olympic Games, setting a national record of 2:57.18 in the process, and more recently they claimed bronze at this year’s World Indoor Championships. They head to Paris with a season’s best of 3:03.02, but – like many nations – they often produce their best form at the year’s biggest event.

The likes of Japan, fourth at the World Relays, and European silver medallist Italy could also feature in the medal hunt. Also keep an eye out for African Games champions Zambia, led by 43.91 performer Muzala Samukonga.

Surprisingly, Jamaica and The Bahamas both missed out on Olympic qualification. It means the Caribbean charge will be led by Trinidad & Tobago, the 2017 world champions.

 

Mixed 4x400m

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• World champions and world record-holders USA out to win first Olympic title
• Netherlands out for revenge after Bol’s mishap in Budapest
• Ireland the surprise world leaders heading into the Games

This event provided one of the most dramatic moments of last year’s World Championships. With several athletes and teams seeking revenge and redemption, it could once again be a thriller of a race in Paris.

USA head to the Olympics as the world champions and world record-holders, following their 3:08.80 triumph in Budapest. On that occasion, they were pushed all the way by the Netherlands in an epic battle, but anchor leg runner Femke Bol fell in the closing metres, allowing USA’s Alexis Holmes to cross the line unopposed.

The two teams renewed their rivalry at the World Relays earlier this year, where USA won comfortably in a championship record of 3:10.73. Having been beaten into third when this discipline made its Olympic debut in Tokyo three years ago, the USA will be keen to win their first gold medal in this discipline.

But neither of those teams head to Paris as the world leader. That honour rests with Ireland, who finished third at the World Relays in 3:11.53, which in itself was a surprise to many. But they then went significantly quicker to win the European title in 3:09.92, elevating them to fifth on the world all-time list.

Great Britain & Northern Ireland took world silver in Budapest last year in a national record of 3:11.06, and they could once again challenge for a medal in Paris with the right line-up.

Italy finished second to Ireland in the high-quality mixed 4x400m at the recent European Championships, clocking a national record of 3:10.69 to finish 0.04 ahead of the Netherlands. The home crowd in Rome doubtless played a significant part, but their performance will give them plenty of confidence heading into Paris.

Home crowd also played a significant part for The Bahamas when they clocked a national record of 3:12.81 to earn their Olympic selection at the World Relays earlier this year. Their squad will feature defending Olympic 400m champions Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

Belgium placed fourth at the European Championships in a national record of 3:11.03 which makes them a serious medal contender. The same is true of Kenya, who set an African record of 3:11.88 earlier this year.

The upside of Jamaica failing to qualify for the men’s 4x400m is that their leading male one-lap sprinters can now focus all of their energy into the mixed 4x400m.

The Dominican Republic, world champions in 2022, and defending Olympic champions Poland should also not be discounted.

Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics