As he prepares to come home for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, a flood of happy memories wash over 28-year-old Steven Gardiner. The last time the event was held in Nassau, his mixed 4x400m relay team won first prize.&nbsp;
Gardiner can already feel the joy of his fellow Bahamians who will pack the stands on 4-5 May, as well as the love of his extended family and his four-year-old Doberman Pinscher named Blue.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m everybody&rsquo;s favorite uncle, brother and cousin,&rdquo; he says with a smile. &ldquo;Everyone else is living through me right now. My brother used to run, but he got sidetracked. Now he&rsquo;s so proud. When I win, he wins.&rdquo;
Despite a late start in track and field, Gardiner has become one of the most accomplished Bahamian athletes of all time. He became the first man from The Bahamas to win an individual Olympic gold in any sport with his 400m triumph in Tokyo, and he also claimed a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 4x400m.&nbsp;
He won world 400m gold in 2019 and silver in 2017, and the 43.85 that he ran in Tokyo made him joint world leader for the men&rsquo;s 400m sprint that year.
<h2>Golden track record</h2>
Gardiner has made history on numerous occasions, including when he set a world indoor 300m best of 31.56 in 2022. He is the Bahamian record-holder for the 200m and 400m, as well as the 4x400m relay.
His national 400m record of 43.48 was set at the 2019 World Championships and it makes him the sixth-fastest man in the history of the event. His feat in Doha was particularly meaningful and unexpected given the turmoil just one month prior, when Category 5 hurricane Dorian made a direct hit to his family home on Abaco. Thoughts of the devastation and loss of life naturally affected Gardiner at the time, but he displayed remarkable emotional control, telling reporters: "It was going through my head before the race but not during it as I was focused only on winning the title and bringing some joy to the people."
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/65b28ca1aa3a0915628d356c.jpg" alt="Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner in the mixed 4x400m at the 2017 World Relays" />
Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner in the mixed 4x400m at the 2017 World Relays (&copy; Getty Images)
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His favorite competition so far was the Tokyo Olympic Games. &ldquo;Tokyo was unforgettable. I did exactly what I wanted. Winning the gold felt amazing!&rdquo;&nbsp;
But chasing the sun hasn&rsquo;t been easy. He&rsquo;s had to overcome many challenges to attain peak performance, like learning how to master his 6ft 5in frame. &ldquo;I remember when I first started running, it was tough. The biggest thing for me is sleep. I can fall asleep anywhere &ndash; even in a crowd,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;When you train this hard, injuries occur. I want to run fast when it matters. It can be intense. But I have matured, and my body has matured. I trust Gary Evans and his programme.&rdquo;
<h2>Raised in paradise</h2>
Gardiner was born on the outskirts of March Harbour, the sleepy heart of Abaco with around 6000 inhabitants. He&rsquo;s called the island home for most of his life and sticks close to his roots despite his global success.&nbsp;
Today he lives in Florida, where he trains under US coach Evans, but he returns to Abaco to visit his family about three times a year.&nbsp;
Asked what he misses most about The Bahamas, Gardiner can&rsquo;t pinpoint only one thing. &ldquo;Bahamian food &ndash; conch or something&hellip; I ask my mom to bring her cooking to Florida,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Also, the weather. It&rsquo;s colder in Florida and the beaches are much better in The Bahamas.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Gardiner was naturally athletic as a child, but he didn&rsquo;t start racing until aged 17 &ndash; much later than average for his peer group. &ldquo;For me, it was hard. I didn&rsquo;t understand the sport. My body was unprepared. Most of my peers have been racing since age six. There was so much I had to catch up on,&rdquo; he says.
However, he made significant progress during his early 20s, maturing both mentally and physically. &ldquo;I started to think to myself &ndash; &lsquo;I can be great at this,&rsquo;&rdquo; he says.
As he grew faster and found his rhythm, Gardiner relied on guidance from high-calibre Bahamian athletes, like fellow sprinter Shanuae Miller-Uibo and &lsquo;Golden Girl&rsquo; Eldece Clarke.
Now that he&rsquo;s a top sports role model himself, he offers his own advice to young, up-and-coming Bahamian athletes chasing their dreams. &ldquo;Never give up, no matter what people say,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;People will try to discourage you. Once you get there, the same people who tried to discourage you will be at your feet. It&rsquo;s up to you the life that you choose and not anybody else.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Today, Gardiner looks ahead to the World Relays as another chance to make his country proud. The two-time Olympic medallist is determined to qualify for the Paris Games at the event this May and &ldquo;bring another gold medal home for the country.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very special to have the World Relays at home,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m training as much as I can to show my Bahamian pride so everyone can celebrate with joy.&rdquo;&nbsp;

World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

As he prepares to come home for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, a flood of happy memories wash over 28-year-old Steven Gardiner

Gardiner, bringing joy to the people

Athletics legend Carl Lewis has been announced as World Athletics ambassador for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, with 50 days to go until the relay spectacular in Nassau.
The nine-time Olympic and eight-time world gold medallist claimed five global 4x100m titles during his incredible career and now he will be trackside as the sport&rsquo;s current stars look to secure Olympic places on 4-5 May.
&ldquo;The thrill of relay competition is like nothing else and I&rsquo;m looking forward to watching the world&rsquo;s best in their bid to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris,&rdquo; said Lewis.
&ldquo;I was in The Bahamas for the 2017 edition of the World Relays and it&rsquo;s great to be going back, this time as World Athletics ambassador for the event where I aim to promote the competition and showcase the sport.&rdquo;
Hundreds of the world&rsquo;s top sprinters from more than 50 countries &ndash; including Bahamian stars Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner &ndash; are set to compete in Nassau for the two-day Olympic qualifying event.
Teams will race in the women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s 4x100m, and the women&rsquo;s, men&rsquo;s and mixed 4x400m.
Lewis is sure to have a keen eye on the 4x100m &ndash; an event in which he twice anchored USA to victory at the Olympic Games and three times carried them to World Athletics Championships glory.
His first Olympic relay triumph came on home soil at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, where he also won gold in the 100m, 200m and long jump.
The US quartet repeated the feat in Barcelona in 1992, while Lewis gained his world 4x100m titles in Helsinki in 1983, Rome in 1987 and Tokyo in 1991.
&ldquo;We are honoured to have Carl Lewis with us in Nassau as the World Athletics ambassador for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24,&rdquo; said World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon.
&ldquo;Carl is one of the greatest relay runners of all time and it&rsquo;s brilliant to have him on board with World Athletics. He has inspired so many in the No.1 Olympic sport and his presence at the World Relays is hugely significant as athletes look to emulate him as they race for places in Paris later this year.&rdquo;
World Athletics

Athletics legend Carl Lewis has been announced as World Athletics ambassador for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, with 50 days to go until the relay spectacular in Nassau

Lewis announced as ambassador for World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

The first thing you notice about Shaunae Miller-Uibo &ndash; the world-famous sprinter who has clinched two Olympic golds for The Bahamas &ndash; is her kaleidoscopic style. From one day to the next, her hair colour swings from magenta to purple, emerald, blue and yellow.&nbsp;
Ever the trailblazer, this Aries star embodies the stereotypical traits of her sign &ndash; ultra-competitive, determined, and hard to slow down &ndash; which is exactly why Bahamians are so proud to have her <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/bahamas24/online-ticketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">competing in the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 on 4-5 May</a>.&nbsp;
In short, Miller-Uibo is a fierce athlete who won&rsquo;t be overlooked. Even welcoming her son Maicel last April didn&rsquo;t halt this champion and the 29-year-old competed at the Bahamas nationals just 10 weeks after giving birth.&nbsp;
<h2>Chasing the sun&nbsp;</h2>
Miller-Uibo is the national record-holder in the 200m and 400m and she holds the world 300m best.
She took home two Olympic gold medals in the 400m, one at the 2016 Rio Games and another in Tokyo, as well as world gold in 2022.
But her path to gold was not without setbacks. &ldquo;Those watching us never get the full scope of what athletes go through,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;Injuries are one of those things. I&rsquo;m not only referring to the physical pain but also the mental toughness you need to recover.&rdquo;
She began running at the age of six. As a child, she was shy but very competitive, proudly admitting that she &ldquo;would lace up against anyone who wanted a challenge.&rdquo; Miller-Uibo has fond memories of the World U20 Championships in Moncton in 2010 because it was her first time competing on the world stage at the age of 16. &ldquo;To walk away with the gold&hellip; this was the start of my dreams unfolding,&rdquo; she says.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/e1a9d6e7-f2f4-44f1-af19-579cd9be69f6.jpg" alt="Steven Gardiner hands off to Shaunae Miller-Uibo in the mixed 4x400m in Nassau" />
Steven Gardiner hands off to Shaunae Miller-Uibo in the mixed 4x400m at the 2017 World Relays (&copy; Getty Images)
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Despite her huge success and relocation to Florida, Miller-Uibo always remained very close to her family, many of whom were also blessed with athletic talent. &ldquo;All my siblings competed in track and field,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;My dad, several uncles and cousins also ran track, so yeah, I think it&rsquo;s safe to say it runs in the genes.&rdquo; She is the grandniece of Olympian Leslie Miller, the first Bahamian to run the 400m under 47 seconds.
She credits her parents as key role models. &ldquo;They have taught me to go after my dreams, to work hard, and to be resilient. Most importantly, they&rsquo;ve groomed me to know that what I do isn&rsquo;t for me but for the glory of God, and I don&rsquo;t think I could have had any two better role models in my life.&rdquo;
Her advice to up-and-coming Bahamian athletes chasing their own &ldquo;sun&rdquo; is &ldquo;to always keep God first, choose a sport and event that you love, and always have fun doing it.&rdquo;
Now that she&rsquo;s started her own family, Miller-Uibo has entered a new life stage, one that she shares with her son, her husband&nbsp;(decathlete Maicel Uibo)&nbsp;and her two German Shepherd dogs Taavi and Amina. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m married to an amazing guy who &ndash; being an athlete himself &ndash; understands my lifestyle. My family makes my life easier so that I can compete at my best.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<h2>It&rsquo;s literally paradise</h2>
Fortunately, it&rsquo;s not all grind for the world&rsquo;s fastest mama. Miller-Uibo enjoys vlogging, photography and listening to gospel music, especially Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Jonathan McReynolds, Tasha Cobbs and Jonathan Nelson.&nbsp;
Her career has taken her to some of the world&rsquo;s most glitzy and glamorous cities, including Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Zurich, Doha, Beijing, Monaco, London, Moscow, Paris and Budapest.&nbsp;
She may have the world at her fingertips, but she loves coming home to The Bahamas, and her <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/bahamas24/online-ticketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">main goal for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24</a> is to represent the country well.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think we have an amazing team for the mixed relay and I&rsquo;m hoping we can qualify The Bahamas for the Olympic Games,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s wonderful competing here because there&rsquo;s no other feeling like hearing your home crowd cheer you on. It makes you want to bring your best.&rdquo;
So what does she love most about The Bahamas? &ldquo;That our people are good-natured, always ready to share a good laugh, and that we are, in my eyes, one of the most beautiful countries in the world,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s literally paradise.&rdquo;

The first thing you notice about Shaunae Miller-Uibo – the world-famous sprinter who has clinched two Olympic golds for The Bahamas – is her kaleidoscopic style

Miller-Uibo ready to shine with 50 days to World Athletics Relays

Lieke Klaver is one of the world&rsquo;s most popular athletes on Instagram, and her account <a href="https://www.instagram.com/liekeklaver" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@liekeklaver</a> has attracted more than 750,000 followers.
In fact, the biggest challenge of Klaver&rsquo;s running career so far hasn&rsquo;t been injuries, false starts, or any of the usual things that convoy top athletes. Instead, she admits that it&rsquo;s been &ldquo;dealing with all the extra activities and the attention from social media.&rdquo;
But the 25-year-old is far more than just a social media star. She has won seven major medals as part of the Dutch 4x400m squads and she also represented the Netherlands in the Tokyo Olympics, where she helped the mixed 4x400m team to finish in fourth place.
Moreover, she is already planning for her career post-sports, stating that she &ldquo;would really like to get a degree in engineering.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/65f1e213374aaaae19186d43.jpg" alt="Lieke Klaver and her 4x400m teammates Cathelijn Peeters, Femke Bol and Lisanne de Witte in Glasgow" />
Lieke Klaver and her 4x400m teammates Cathelijn Peeters, Femke Bol and Lisanne de Witte in Glasgow (&copy; Getty Images)
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<h2>Under the spotlight</h2>
Last year was big for Klaver. In March 2023, she won her first major individual medal in the 400m at the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. &ldquo;It was very special to win a silver medal during the European Indoor Championships,&rdquo; she says.
She also reduced her 400m personal best to 49.81.
Most recently, Klaver had a very successful weekend at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 (1-3 March).
Competing alongside her Dutch teammate Femke Bol, Klaver took silver in the 400m in Glasgow, then followed it up with gold in the 4x400m on the final day of the championships, matching the gold medal that the team won outdoors at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 last year.
Klaver&rsquo;s relay win in Glasgow was notable because she produced the fastest split of the race (50.26), despite competing on the first leg, which is usually slower than the other legs as it doesn&rsquo;t benefit from a rolling start.
It marked Klaver&rsquo;s seventh major championship relay medal. Along with her world 4x400m titles indoors and out, she also has three European 4x400m golds (two indoors, one outdoors), along with a world indoor silver in 2022 and an outdoor world mixed 4x400m later that year.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/65f1e236374aaaae19186d46.jpg" alt="Lieke Klaver at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23" />
Lieke Klaver at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 (&copy; Getty Images)
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<h2>First taste of paradise</h2>
The World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 competition from 4-5 May will be Klaver&rsquo;s first visit to The Bahamas, but she&rsquo;s already seen other parts of the Caribbean, like the Dutch island Curacao. &ldquo;I enjoy traveling to Curacao because that means it&rsquo;s time for off-season and rest,&rdquo; she says.
She has also loved visiting other tropical places like Colombia, and it&rsquo;s not surprising that she&rsquo;s attracted by the sun &ndash; with a birthday on 20 August (Leo), Klaver has it as her ruling planet.
Soon it will be time for her to &lsquo;Chase the Sun&rsquo; in more ways than one as she follows her athletics dreams from The Bahamas to Paris. Klaver heads to the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 as a valuable member of the Dutch 4x400m team, the reigning world indoor and outdoor champions. The Bahamas is a key step on the road to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she hopes to earn the one category of medal that is missing from her collection.
&ldquo;Becoming world champion with the girls has been the highlight of my career so far,&rdquo; says Klaver. &ldquo;My main goal in The Bahamas will be to win another medal.&rdquo;
The Netherlands has strong medal chances in all three 4x400m relays in both The Bahamas and Paris.
In any case, it seems that Klaver is hitting her stride career wise, and she is determined to make it to the Paris Olympics along with her Dutch comrades. Above all, she has not allowed the media attention to go to her head. Klaver is a team player and maintains warm and supportive friendships with &ldquo;the girls&rdquo; on her relay team as well as her family.
While sport doesn&rsquo;t run in the genes for Klaver and none of her family members have achieved similar feats, she is proud that &ldquo;they are my biggest fans.&rdquo;

Lieke Klaver is one of the world’s most popular athletes on Instagram, and her account @liekeklaver has attracted more than 750,000 followers

Lights, camera, sprint: meet Lieke Klaver 

South African sprinter Akani Simbine is hungry for several things.
One of them is &lsquo;braai&rsquo;, his favorite dish and a key part of South African culture. Cooking a spiced roast with sides over an open fire is one thing that consistently brings South Africans together.
More than food, however, he is hungry for a medal, and he will have another chance to make South Africa shine if he qualifies for the Olympics at the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/bahamas24/online-ticketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 in Nassau on 4-5 May</a>.
He&rsquo;s had several close calls, but a global medal eludes him. He just missed winning an Olympic medal in Tokyo when he finished fourth in the 100m in 9.93. In 2016, he came in fifth in the 100m at the Olympics in Rio, and he has also placed fourth and fifth at the World Athletics Championships.
Simbine specialises in the 100m and 200m, and this May he will join his compatriots in the 4x100m in The Bahamas. &ldquo;I want South Africa to win,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had the worst luck when it comes to relays. We either don&rsquo;t make the zone or drop it. It&rsquo;s been very frustrating.&rdquo;
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/bahamas24/online-ticketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 competition this May</a> will be his first time visiting The Bahamas, but will his busy schedule allow any beach time?
Simbine knows Bahamian sprinting legends Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner quite well as they see each other often on the circuit.
&ldquo;Shaunae speaks highly of The Bahamas and the beach looks amazing, so I hope I get to see it,&rdquo; he says.&nbsp;
<h2>The road to paradise</h2>
As a child, Simbine was always very athletic, splitting his time between football, cricket and rugby. He originally dreamed of becoming a football player, but this changed at the age of 18 when he began running and broke some records.&nbsp;
He acquired his athletic talent from his mother, but Simbine was the only one in his family who took it to the professional level. His daily routine involves going to bed at around 10pm, and nutrition is also important to him. &ldquo;Eating home-cooked meals so that my body is 100%... I need to make sure that I&rsquo;m a lean running machine,&rdquo; he says.
His competition schedule keeps him on the road quite a bit, and Jamaica, London and Zurich have been his favourite places to compete so far. In his downtime, he enjoys playing golf, watching movies and listening to a lot of old-school hip-hop and &lsquo;Amapiano&rsquo;, a new-age music genre specific to South Africa.
<h2>Running on sunshine&nbsp;</h2>
Simbine's career highlight was breaking the South African 100m record with 9.84 in July 2021. &ldquo;Our country had never had a sprinter make the finals and rank among the top in the world. Being able to do that and inspire the next generation has been really rewarding,&rdquo; he says.
Conversely, his biggest challenge was a false start at the World Championships in Budapest last year. Nevertheless, he emphasises the importance of staying positive and persevering.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It was terrible for me and the team,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Something I don&rsquo;t usually do. It was an unusual feeling and hard to keep positive. I had to coach myself: &lsquo;I&rsquo;m going to Paris! I&rsquo;m going to be on the podium!&rsquo; If you&rsquo;re going to continue in this sport, you must pick yourself up from these hits. You can train all you want, but if your headspace isn&rsquo;t there, you&rsquo;re not going make it.&rdquo;&nbsp;
At the end of the day, Simbine is all action and inspiration. In a recent article, he proclaimed that he wanted to be the fastest man in the world: &ldquo;I think this is the year that I&rsquo;ll take home a medal. I&rsquo;ve been to all finals since 2016. Everything is aligning.&rdquo;
His advice to up-and-coming athletes chasing their Olympic dreams is to never give up. &ldquo;Keep pushing and training. Don&rsquo;t give up on that dream,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;You&rsquo;ve been given a talent, but that alone won&rsquo;t get you there. You need to put the work in to achieve that dream.&rdquo;

South African sprinter Akani Simbine has his eye on the podium this year

Sprinter Simbine, hungry for a medal

Ticket sales have been launched for the&nbsp;World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, ahead of the&nbsp;highly anticipated event happening in Nassau on 4-5 May.
Bahamian officials are preparing to welcome hundreds of the world&rsquo;s top sprinters &ndash; including several Bahamian stars like Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner &ndash; from more than 50 countries to compete in the final qualifying event ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.&nbsp;
For the first time, the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 will introduce a &ldquo;fan zone&rdquo; area close to the action on the infield, offering fans unparalleled, close-up views of the athletes, as well as a zone in the Eastern Grandstand dedicated to high-school-aged fans.
In addition, from now until May, the local organising committee (LOC) will host a series of school and community events to boost excitement and public engagement around the event.
&ldquo;Today is an exciting day for The Bahamas as we officially launch ticket sales for the World Athletics Relays,&rdquo; said Drumeco Archer, LOC Chief Executive Officer. &ldquo;With our stunning nature and enthusiastic people, The Bahamas is an ideal host for competitive sporting events. The Bahamas will be the last opportunity for these athletes to shine on track to the Olympics. We invite you to see these impressive athletes firsthand as they ascend from paradise to the Paris Olympics. Get your tickets now.&rdquo;
The Honorable Mario K. Bowleg, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, added: &ldquo;This event will have a positive impact not only on our economy but also on our position as regional leaders in sports tourism. We are looking forward to sitting in a full stadium and cheering on the world&rsquo;s top sprinters who can inspire each of us to take pride in our strengths as a people.&rdquo;
LOC Chairman Dr. Daniel Johnson emphasised the significance of bringing the World Relays back to The Bahamas: &ldquo;We are a small country, and the fact that we were able to bring this key event back home highlights the attractiveness of The Bahamas as we elevate our &lsquo;sports in paradise&rsquo; brand on a global scale.&rdquo;
Tickets can be purchased at The Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium box office or by visiting the <a href="http://www.worldrelaysbahamas24.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 website</a>. Each ticket will include a unique code required for attendees to scan when entering and exiting the stadium. Ticket prices start at $10 for children and $20 for adult general admission, while VIP platinum seats with the best views go for $150 each.
Archer expects the prime seats to sell out fast, and therefore he encourages fans to purchase tickets now to &ldquo;witness history in the making.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Ticket sales have been launched for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, ahead of the highly anticipated event happening in Nassau on 4-5 May.

Tickets on sale for World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

Nassau will once again welcome the world&rsquo;s best sprinters on 4-5 May when the World Athletics Relays returns to the Bahamian capital.
With 100 days to go to the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, where countries will compete for places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, we look back at five standout moments from the five previous editions. 
<h2>2014 - Jamaica breaks long-standing world 4x200m record</h2>
The World Athletics Relays started in style in 2014, with two world records set on the first day of action at the inaugural edition in Nassau.
After Kenya&rsquo;s Faith Kipyegon, Hellen Obiri, Mercy Cherono and Irene Jelagat combined to smash the women&rsquo;s world 4x1500m record, it was the turn of Jamaica&rsquo;s men&rsquo;s 4x200m quartet to light up the track.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/c7975bf8-00d1-4a34-86e7-146f3d9267b9.jpg" alt="Yohan Blake anchors Jamaica to a world 4x200m record at the 2014 World Relays" />
Yohan Blake anchors Jamaica to a world 4x200m record at the 2014 World Relays (&copy; Getty Images)
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The world record had stood for 20 years to a quality US Santa Monica Track Club team featuring Floyd Heard, Leroy Burrell, Michael Marsh and Carl Lewis, who ran 1:18.68 in Walnut in April 1994.
But in The Bahamas, Nickel Ashmeade, Warren Weir, Jermaine Brown and Yohan Blake took 0.05 off the mark, 2011 world 100m champion Blake blazing a 19.4 anchor leg to cross the finish line in 1:18.63.
Ashmeade had put Jamaica narrowly ahead on the first leg before Weir recorded a 19.2 split to establish a clear lead which Brown maintained.
Behind them, St Kitts and Nevis achieved a national record of 1:20.51, and after the US team was disqualified, France secured third place in a European record of 1:20.66.
<h2>2015 - US women smash distance medley world record</h2>
Given the country's history with the event, it was no surprise that the USA won both distance medley relays at the 2015 edition in The Bahamas.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/0bd6a7f1-196e-430e-8923-1f3af6310b81.jpg" alt="USA after the women's distance medley relay at the World Relays Bahamas 2015" />
USA after the women's distance medley relay at the World Relays Bahamas 2015 (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
They fielded an all-star team, comprising Treniere Moser (1200m), Sanya Richards-Ross (400m), Ajee Wilson (800m) and Shannon Rowbury (1600m). Between them, they took more than six seconds off the previous world record, and finished seven seconds ahead of their opponents.
France led at the first changeover, but a 50.12 clocking from Richards-Ross &ndash; a world and Olympic champion over one lap of the track &ndash; on the 400m leg put them not only in the lead but on world record pace.
Wilson then ran a solo 2:00.08 for the 800m leg and Rowbury then increased their lead, which was already substantial, to bring the baton home in 10:36.50.
Behind them, Kenya took second place in an African record, Poland placed third in a European record, and fourth-placed finishers Australia set an Oceanian record.
<h2>2017 - Bahamas dominates as mixed 4x400m makes World Relays debut</h2>
The Bahamas hosted the first three editions of the World Athletics Relays and narrowly missed out on top spot in the men&rsquo;s 4x400m in 2014 and 2015. But in 2017, the mixed 4x400m made its World Relays debut, much to the delight of the passionate home crowd.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aigbgd0EkgA?si=aL_Qdv0KS6xp_g2k" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Steven Gardiner, who would go on to win world and Olympic titles, put the team ahead with an opening 44.33 leg before handing the baton to Olympic gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo. With a run of 49.60, she extended her team&rsquo;s advantage to almost five seconds.
Anthonique Strachan went up against USA&rsquo;s Paul Dedewo on the third leg but The Bahamas remained in second place, with Michael Mathieu still to run.
He passed USA&rsquo;s Claudia Francis on the anchor to secure a first ever World Relays win for the host nation, crossing the finish line in 3:14.42 to win by almost three seconds.
The US took second in 3:17.29.
<h2>2019 - Poland dethrones US women in 4x400m</h2>
After victories in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m at each of the three previous editions of the World Relays, the USA was finally knocked off its pedestal at the 2019 edition in Yokohama.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2uXLhKa4OHg?si=4iHZfaKiosB0yyVR" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
An inspired Justyna Swiety-Ersetic of Poland successfully fought off a three-pronged attack down the homestretch to win by just 0.16.
Jaide Stepter gave the US quartet the early lead, heading Jamaica, Italy and Poland into the first exchange. Shakima Wimbley extended the USA&rsquo;s lead on the second leg, while behind her, Patrycja Wyciszkiewicz moved Poland into second.&nbsp;
But USA&rsquo;s Jessica Beard faded in the final 40 metres of the third leg, where Anna Kielbasinska brought Poland into the lead. Swiety-Ersetic, the 2018 European 400m champion, then took command and extended her lead down the back straight.
Four teams were in contention as the field came off the final turn, but as hard as US anchor Courtney Okolo tried to chip away at the deficit, the Pole fought back and ultimately held on to bring her triumphant squad to the line in 3:27.49. Okolo won the battle for second over Italian anchor Raphaela Boaheng Lukudo by 0.09 in 3:27.65.
<h2>2021 - Netherlands saves best for last in Silesia</h2>
The Dutch men&rsquo;s 4x400m team secured Olympic qualification in Silesia in 2021 and they did so with a thrilling finish, winning the final event of the weekend in 3:03.45.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/608f03d8cf77f405862b6b46.jpg" alt="Tony van Diepen anchors Netherlands to victory in the men's 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays Silesia 21" />
Tony van Diepen anchors Netherlands to victory in the men's 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays Silesia 21 (&copy; Dan Vernon)
</div>
After taking their heat in 3:03.03, Jochem Dobber, Liemarvin Bonevacia, Ramsey Angela and Tony van Diepen returned to the track looking to flourish in the final.
Dobber started fast for the Netherlands, as did 18-year-old Lythe Pillay for South Africa, and South Africa were just ahead at the first changeover.
Dobber then handed over to Bonevacia and the race was on.
The final leg saw South Africa&rsquo;s Oscar Mavundla storm the first 150m but then he began to fade with Van Diepen, who had received the baton from Angela, surging past.
Van Diepen&nbsp;anchored his team home in 3:03.45 to win ahead of Japan and Botswana, who clocked respective times of 3:04.45 and 3:04.77.

With 100 days to go to the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, we remember some top moments from the five previous editions

Five standout World Relays moments to mark 100 days to WRE Bahamas 24

The stage is being set for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, which will be held 4-5 May in Nassau, The Bahamas, at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. The country's local organising committee (LOC) officially launched on Wednesday 2 August with a press conference at the competition's venue.&nbsp;
"We've always wanted the relays back in The Bahamas," noted Drumeco Archer, LOC Chief Executive Officer. "When we had the opportunity once again, we were one of the bidders to host the 2024 edition, and I think there was an overwhelming consideration for The Bahamas to be chosen as the host nation. We can have an event that is unique to the world."
Echoing his sentiment was Olympic medallist Pauline Davis who also serves as Deputy Chairman and World Athletics Honorary Life Personal Member.&nbsp;
The innovative World Relays is the brainchild of Davis, who stated that, albeit a fierce bidding process to reclaim the World Relays, it was the world's athletes who helped push The Bahamas' bid to the forefront.&nbsp;
"The athletes of the world absolutely love The Bahamas,&rdquo; said Davis. "We went up against global athletics powerhouses, but the athletes of the world were really the ones, I was made to understand, that pushed The Bahamas over the top. They specifically sent a note to World Athletics to say, 'We want to go to The Bahamas for the World Relays'."
Hon. Mario K. Bowleg, Minister of Youth, Sports &amp; Culture, expressed the government's excitement for the return of the World Relays to The Bahamas.&nbsp;
"It is a privilege as minister to see the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 back to the shores of The Bahamas," said Bowleg. "This Administration understands the exposure that sports can bring to this country, with its economic boost. The Road to Paris begins in The Bahamas!"
The relays are expected to attract more than 1600 elite athletes to the country as a key qualifying event for the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris, France.
According to the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 Local Organising Committee, several activities, including a mascot competition, island baton relay and school-based marketing initiatives, will highlight the road to World Relays.&nbsp;
Dr. Daniel Johnson, Chairman of the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, noted that an economic impact assessment would be completed and released to the Bahamian public and encouraged them to participate in promoting the relays.&nbsp;
"It should not be lost on us that this little country of 700 rocks and cays in the Atlantic, with just over 300,000 people, has been asked by World Athletics to host this important event," said Dr. Johnson. "That's a big deal.<a> </a>we are calling next year&rsquo;s World Relays, &ldquo;from Paradise to Paris!&rdquo;.
Local partners of the event include The Bahamas' Ministry of Youth, Sports &amp; Culture and Ministry of Tourism, Investments &amp; Aviation, the Bahamas Amateur Athletics Association, the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association and the National Sports Authority.
Spectators unable to experience the World Relays in person can view this spectacular two-day event via live broadcast and on the World Athletics and World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 official streaming platforms on YouTube and Facebook.&nbsp;
Fans locally and globally are encouraged to follow the World Relays Bahamas 24 social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram to stay current on the latest information about the event @WABahamas24
For important updates, such as the availability of tickets, or volunteering, individuals are encouraged to stay informed by subscribing to the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 website at <a href="http://www.worldrelaysbahamas24.org">www.worldrelaysbahamas24.org</a>.
<h3>History of relays in The Bahamas</h3>
From its inception in 2014, the World Athletics Relays entranced the world as more than 500 athletes representing more than 40 nations comprised the best relay quartets in the world.
The two-day competition enabled the global village to see men and women compete in the 4x100m, 4x200m, 4x800m and 4x1500m.&nbsp;
It allowed viewers to enjoy their favourite professional and national athletes via live coverage and streaming on YouTube in approved territories and for the first time in Europe via its Eurovision Sports Live app.&nbsp;&nbsp;
With a total then prize purse of USD $1.4 million, the competition automatically allowed the top eight teams in the 4x100m and 4x400m to qualify for the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing.
Since then, four other past competitions have been held in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021. The Bahamas hosted the first three competitions in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
After a seven-year hiatus, the World Athletics Relays will again be home in The Bahamas in 2024.
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Media Contact World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 LOC Communications Department <a href="mailto:communications@worldrelaysbahamas24.org">communications@worldrelaysbahamas24.org</a>

World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 is set for May 4-5, 2024, in Nassau

World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 is set for 4-5 May 2024 in Nassau

After a successful campaign last November, The Bahamas was re-awarded the rights to host the World Athletics Relays for the fourth time on May 4-5, 2024.
World Athletics recently travelled to Nassau to meet with the Local Organizing Committee of The Bahamas to commence planning for next year's Relays. Representatives were pleased with the initial planning to date and feel confident moving forward after the visit.
"We have had a very productive few days with the Bahamas 24 Organizing Committee for the World Athletics Relays 2024," said World Athletics, "It's great to be back in The Bahamas, the host of the first three editions of the World Athletics Relays, which were the creation of Bahamian sprint and relay legend, Pauline Davis.
&ldquo;The organizing committee is building on its experience and the success of previous events to deliver what is expected to be a sell-out event. Several new and innovative ideas are being developed for the event, which will take place in May 2024 and serve as the Olympic relays qualification."
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture of The Bahamas, Hon. Mario K. Bowleg, met with the World Athletics Team and LOC Bahamas to express the Bahamian government's full support of hosting World Athletics Relays 2024 in Nassau.
"We appreciate the recognition of The Bahamas' contribution to the world of sports; consistent with our national branding of Sports in Paradise, we renew our detailed attention to global partnerships and events like the World Athletics Relays 2024," Chairman Johnson believes that because of the government and the people of our great nation&rsquo;s warm hospitality, our guests will look forward to a Baha-mazing event next May.
Chief Executive Officer Drumeco Archer is ecstatic about the upcoming World Relays, "They are coming back home to where it all began; this time, with a focus on technology, Bahamian cultural enchantments and the renewed energy of the world, we intend to make World Relays Bahamas 24 the most incredible experience in athletic history."&nbsp;
The 2024 World Athletics Relays will be a key qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Bahamas was re-awarded the rights to host the World Athletics Relays for the fourth time

Bahamas re-awarded World Athletics Relays for fourth time

The <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/644930fa3e4bab8ea981244d.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">qualification system for the </a><a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/644930fa3e4bab8ea981244d.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24</a> has been released.
Nassau, which hosted the first three editions of the World Relays, will once again welcome the world&rsquo;s best sprinters on 4-5 May 2024 as countries compete for relay places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The programme for the Bahamian capital comprises five relay disciplines &ndash; men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 4x100m and 4x400m, plus the mixed 4x400m &ndash; and 32 teams will be entered in each of those.
Top eight teams in each discipline at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 will automatically earn entry to the World Relays Nassau 24. The host country may also enter one team in each discipline, regardless of any entry conditions.
The remaining teams (up to 32) will be determined through the top lists in the qualification period (1 January 2023 to Sunday 7 April 2024). Starting 1 October 2023, World Athletics will maintain a weekly list of relay teams qualified according to the above.
The top 14 teams at the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 will automatically qualify for places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Teams will have two opportunities to qualify in Nassau; if they&rsquo;re unsuccessful on day one, another chance will be provided on day two.
The remaining two places in each relay discipline will be awarded based on top lists during the qualification period (31 December 2022 &ndash; 30 June 2024).
World Athletics

The qualification system for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 has been released.

Qualification system published for World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

World Athletics Relays

<h2>World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24</h2>
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The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is proud to host the World Athletics Relays at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau on 4-5 May 2024.
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This event is the crucial Olympic qualifying event for the world&rsquo;s top-performing athletes from more than 40 countries. We invite you to follow these athletes on their sensational journeys from tropical paradise to the Olympic Games Paris 2024. &nbsp;
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Sport is a unifying force in a fractured world &ndash; few venues unite us as people more than a stadium full of passionate, emotional fans. With our stunning natural beauty and vibrant, enthusiastic people, The Bahamas is an ideal host for competitive sporting events. Bahamians are wonderful cheerleaders!
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Our campaign slogan, 'Chase the Sun', reflects not only our enviable sunny weather (we enjoy approximately 340 days of sunshine per year) but also the warmth of our people and culture, and &ndash; in a metaphorical sense &ndash; the relentless pursuit of success and the Olympic dream.
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The sun is a symbol of energy, positivity, and the pursuit of excellence. The Bahamas is the last leg for these athletes to shine on track to the Olympics and inspire fans to chase their own goals with the same tenacity!
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It&rsquo;s time to Chase the Sun&nbsp;&ndash; in every sense of the word&nbsp;&ndash; from Paradise to Paris.
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Buy your tickets for the World Relays Bahamas 24 today!

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