USA's Kendall Ellis in action at the World Relays (© Sergio Mateo)
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Of all the teams competing at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25, the US women’s 4x400m quartet will probably be the strongest favourites to win.
The USA has dominated the women’s 4x400m for decades. There has, of course, been the occasional blunder over the years – like at the 2023 World Championships – that has led to other nations picking up major titles.
Their team for Guangzhou will be without individual Olympic champions Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone – both of whom contributed to USA’s 4x400m victory at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – but they still have good strength in depth, helped by sub-50-second performers Kendall Ellis and Lynna Irby-Jackson, part of USA’s gold-medal-winning team at the 2021 Olympics.
The USA’s task will be made slightly easier due to the absence of the Netherlands, the world champions. But there are still several other teams who’ll contend for victory in pursuit of securing a place at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
Poland finished second to the USA at the World Indoor Championships earlier this year and at last year’s World Relays. Olympic bronze medallist Natalia Bukowiecka will be a key component of their team, so too will the highly experienced Justyna Swiety-Ersetic.
World silver medallists Jamaica will also likely prove to be formidable opponents. Hurdles specialists Shiann Salmon and Andrenette Knight feature in their pool for Guangzhou.
Three of the four women who represented Great Britain in the 4x400m final at last year’s Paris Olympics, earning bronze, will be in Guangzhou. They finished just shy of the podium at the last World Relays, so will be aiming for at least a top-three finish this time.
At least year’s Olympics, Ireland earned the unfortunate honour of producing the fastest ever time for a fourth-place finish. They shattered their national record with 3:19.90 but finished just shy of the podium. All four women from that quartet have been selected for Guangzhou, and they won’t want to miss out on another podium placing.
Canada claimed third place at the last World Relays and they’ll likely be in the mix once more. The likes of Belgium, France and Kenya should also be in the hunt for a place in the final.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
