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Previews29 Apr 2026

WRE Gaborone 26 preview: Jamaica, Netherlands and Spain lead wide-open women’s 4x400m

Blanca Hervas anchors Spain to women's 4x400m victory in Guangzhou (© AFP / Getty Images)

Timetable | 2026 world list | world all-time list | World Relays records | 4x400m explainer

With world and Olympic champions USA not fielding a team in the women’s 4x400m, the contest for podium places, prize money and World Championships qualification at the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 this weekend (2-3 May) has been thrown wide open.

Twelve teams will automatically secure places for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27. Eight teams – the top two in each of the four heats – will guarantee their qualification on day one and advance to the final. The remaining teams will return for the additional round on day two, where four more teams – the top two in each of the two heats – will also secure spots for Beijing. The day two finals will decide World Championships seeding positions and prize money.

In the absence of the USA, Jamaica will be among the teams looking to take advantage. The world silver medallists have named a squad that includes three strong 400m hurdles talents in two-time world bronze medallist Rushell Clayton, Olympic finalist Shiann Salmon and 2023 world finalist Andrenette Knight.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, bring one of the strongest recent relay records in the field. World bronze medallists last year, Olympic silver medallists in 2024, world indoor silver medallists this year, 2023 world champions and two-time European champions, they have repeatedly shown their ability to perform on the biggest stages.

Femke Bol is not part of their squad for Gaborone, but world indoor bronze medallist Lieke Klaver brings vast relay experience, having earned nine global medals as part of Dutch relay teams.

Spain produced one of the standout performances of last year’s World Relays, beating USA to victory in a national record of 3:24.13. They were unable to reproduce that form at the World Championships, where they narrowly missed out on the final, but made amends at the World Indoor Championships this year by taking bronze.

Poland, winners of the women’s 4x400m at the 2019 World Relays and runners-up in 2024, also have plenty of pedigree. Their team includes Justyna Swiety-Ersetic, who competed at the 2014 edition of the World Relays, and Olympic 400m bronze medallist Natalia Bukowiecka.

Great Britain and NI will be looking to build on the momentum of their Olympic bronze medal in 2024. Lina Nielsen and Nicole Yeargin – both members of Britain’s Olympic relay team two years ago – are the most experienced members of their squad and will be central to their hopes of progressing through the rounds and securing an automatic place in Beijing.

Belgium finished fourth at last year’s World Championships. While their squad for Gaborone features only one member of that team, their recent record suggests they cannot be ruled out.

Norway and France finished sixth and seventh respectively at last year’s World Championships, and both have named the same quartets that competed in that final. Norway’s squad is led by Henriette Jaeger and Amalie Iuel, while France will aim to make the most of their continuity as they chase another global final place.

Czechia’s roster features world indoor champion Lurdes Gloria Manuel, whose individual quality could make them a factor in the qualification race.

Canada, regular global finalists and third at the 2024 World Relays, return with the aim of maintaining that consistency, while South Africa will hope to match their third-place finish at last year’s World Relays.

Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

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