Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner in the mixed 4x400m at the 2017 World Relays (© Getty Images)
Nassau will once again welcome the world’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.
2014 - Jamaica breaks long-standing world 4x200m record
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’s Faith Kipyegon, Hellen Obiri, Mercy Cherono and Irene Jelagat combined to smash the women’s world 4x1500m record, it was the turn of Jamaica’s men’s 4x200m quartet to light up the track.
Yohan Blake anchors Jamaica to a world 4x200m record at the 2014 World Relays (© Getty Images)
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.
2015 - US women smash distance medley world record
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.
USA after the women's distance medley relay at the World Relays Bahamas 2015 (© Getty Images)
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 – a world and Olympic champion over one lap of the track – 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.
2017 - Bahamas dominates as mixed 4x400m makes World Relays debut
The Bahamas hosted the first three editions of the World Athletics Relays and narrowly missed out on top spot in the men’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.
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’s advantage to almost five seconds.
Anthonique Strachan went up against USA’s Paul Dedewo on the third leg but The Bahamas remained in second place, with Michael Mathieu still to run.
He passed USA’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.
2019 - Poland dethrones US women in 4x400m
After victories in the women’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.
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’s lead on the second leg, while behind her, Patrycja Wyciszkiewicz moved Poland into second.
But USA’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.
2021 - Netherlands saves best for last in Silesia
The Dutch men’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.
Tony van Diepen anchors Netherlands to victory in the men's 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays Silesia 21 (© Dan Vernon)
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’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 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.
