Baton passed in the mixed 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays (© Getty Images)
The World Athletics Council has decided to postpone the WA Relays Guangzhou 23, scheduled for 13-14 May 2023, until April/May 2025. Postponement triggers a new relay qualification process for Budapest.
Due to the ongoing pandemic conditions, the decision was taken with the agreement of both the Guangzhou organising committee (LOC) and the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA), due to the ongoing pandemic conditions.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “It is regrettable when we have to postpone an event. However, World Athletics and the local organising committee are both committed to the responsible planning and delivery of the World Athletics Relays, which includes ensuring that athletes from all international federations are able to participate in and enjoy an experience in a safe and healthy environment.
“I want to thank our colleagues at the Chinese Athletics Association and the LOC for their efforts and cooperation in resolving this situation and look forward to 2025 when our hosts are able to stage a spectacular World Athletics Relays.”
The decision to delay the World Athletics Relays impacts on the qualification system for the relay events at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23.
Relay Teams can qualify in one of two ways:
- First eight placed teams at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 as follows:
- Men’s 4x100 m: Canada, USA, Great Britain, Jamaica, Ghana, Republic of South Africa, Brazil, France
- Women's 4x100 m: USA, Jamaica, Germany, Nigeria, Spain, Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy
- Men's 4x400 m: USA, Jamaica, Belgium, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, Botswana, France, Czech Republic
- Women's 4x400 m: USA, Jamaica, Great Britain, Canada, France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland
- Mixed 4x400 meter: Dominican Republic, Netherlands, USA, Poland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Italy, Ireland
- Be one of the best ranked teams at the end of the qualification period to fill the eight remaining places according to the best performances in the whole qualification period. For the purpose of being ranked, the results of relay races will be valid only on the condition that they are part of a competition staged in compliance with World Athletics Rules and that at least two different international teams, representing at least two countries, compete in the race.
The qualification period has already started on July 31, 2022 and closes on July 20 2023.
The host of the 2024 World Athletics Relays is set to be awarded by the World Athletics Council at their meeting in Rome, Italy, on 30 November.
