Kenny Bednarek in action at the 2024 World Relays (© Sergio Mateo)
timetable | 2025 world list | world all-time list | World Relays records | 4x100m explainer
As with any men’s 4x100m at a global event, the unrivalled strength and depth of the USA should make them the favourites.
But, also as with any men’s 4x100m at a global event, the pre-event favourites – or indeed any other team – can falter.
The USA will be without world champion Noah Lyles, who anchored his team to victory at the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 World Relays. But they still head to Guangzhou with the best depth of any team, led by Kenny Bednarek.
The two-time Olympic 200m silver medallist recently sped to a wind-assisted 9.79 over 100m and a world-leading 19.84 over 200m at the Grand Slam meeting in Miramar. He’ll be keen to gain redemption, too, after setting off too early on the second leg – which ultimately led to USA’s disqualification – in the 4x100m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
He’s joined on the US team by world 200m silver medallist Erriyon Knighton, 9.93 performer Brandon Hicklin and Courtney Lindsay, who anchored the US team to a 37.47 heat win at the Paris Olympics – faster than the eventual winning time in the final.
Canada struck gold on that occasion, clocking 37.50, and their full quartet from that race – Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney and Andre de Grasse – will be in Guangzhou. The same four men, albeit in a different order, finished second behind the USA at the last World Relays, and they’ve already displayed good form this season with a 37.90 clocking.
That time puts them second on the world list behind Australia’s Oceanian record of 37.87. Australia had the misfortune of being drawn in a loaded semifinal at the Paris Olympics, eventually finishing sixth in 38.12 and outside of a qualifying spot for the final. Had they been drawn in the other semifinal, they would have won comfortably. Powered by world indoor silver medallist Lachlan Kennedy, their Guangzhou-bound squad appears ready to contend for a podium place.
South Africa finished just 0.07 behind Canada to take silver at the Paris Olympics. Three of the four members of that team will be in Guangzhou, led by world indoor bronze medallist Akani Simbine, who is unbeaten in all three of his international 100m races this year.
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake leads the British team, having formed part of the squad at the Paris Olympics where Great Britain & Northern Ireland took bronze. This time the team will be missing world indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu, who has withdrawn due to injury.
The depth of Jamaica also cannot be ignored. The world bronze medallists will be fielding a team that includes Olympic 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson, 2024 world indoor bronze medallist Ackeem Blake, 9.91 performer Rohan Watson, and 2011 world champion Yohan Blake – one of the few athletes in Guangzhou who competed at the inaugural World Relays 11 years ago.
Other teams to look out for include Italy, France, China and Japan – all of whom made the Olympic final last year.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
