South Africa, Great Britain and Canada claim 4x100m crowns in Guangzhou

South Africa proved they will be a powerful force at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as they stormed to the men’s 4x100m title at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 on Sunday (11).

Great Britain & NI won a thrilling women’s 4x100m final, holding off surprise package Spain, while Canada made history by winning the inaugural World Relays mixed 4x100m crown. Earlier in the session, another 12 teams qualified for the 4x100m events at the World Championships in Tokyo, including China in both the women’s and men’s events, much to the delight of the passionate and vocal home crowd at the Tianhe Sports Centre stadium.

Ahead of the competition, South African sprint star Akani Simbine had expressed how camaraderie is the key when it comes to relay success. His squad’s team spirit was on show in Guangzhou again on Sunday evening, as the world indoor 60m bronze medallist combined with Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile and Bradley Nkoana to run a world lead of 37.61 – just 0.04 off the African record South Africa set when securing Olympic silver in Paris.

They denied USA by just 0.05, with Olympic champions Canada finishing third this time in 38.11.

The 19-year-old Walaza, who claimed 100m and 200m gold at the World U20 Championships in Lima last year, got things started for South Africa – up against Courtney Lindsey for USA, Aaron Brown for Canada and Naoki Okami for Japan.

Walaza handed over to Dambile and Brown to Jerome Blake, while two-time Olympic and world 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek took over for USA.

Nkoana and Kyree King ran the third legs for South Africa and USA, respectively, and let go of the batons at the same time – leaving the race down to Simbine and Brandon Hicklin. While Simbine seemed a fraction back as they approached the finish line, he timed his lean to perfection.

Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse completed Canada’s full Olympic title-winning team in Guangzhou and De Grasse chased the top two over the finish line to secure third place ahead of Japan.

"Once I got the baton and I saw that USA was in front of us, I just said to myself, 'I need to catch the guy in front'," said Simbine. "I knew I could do it, and I just chased him. I feed from chasing, I feed from being able to chase. So it's really great to be able to be in that position and get through it and get to the line first."

Earlier in the evening, China ran the leading time in the second qualifying round for World Championships places. Shi Junhao, Zeng Keli, Wang Shengjie and He Jinxian claimed a heat three win in 38.03 ahead of Australia, with world indoor 60m silver medallist Lachlan Kennedy on the first leg, and they both achieved qualification for Tokyo.

They will be joined at the World Championships by France and Ghana, who respectively clocked 38.31 and 38.32 in a thrillingly close first heat, and Belgium and Kenya, who were also locked in an intense battle in the second heat – Belgium winning in a national record of 38.49 to Kenya’s 38.51. There was another record for Korea as the team ran 38.51 and they were the fastest to not qualify.

The qualification dreams of Jamaica also came to a devastating end as the team was unable to get the baton around for the second time this weekend. After a failed changeover on day one, this time Julian Forte pulled up before he could hand the stick to Yohan Blake and Forte later left the track in a wheelchair. They will now hope to qualify by achieving a leading time in the world top lists during the qualification period.

Qualified for World Championships

Round 1 qualifiers: South Africa (37.84), Japan (37.84), United States (37.86), Canada (38.15), Italy (38.16), Great Britain & NI (38.18), Germany (38.33), Poland (38.43).
Round 2 qualifiers: China (38.03), Australia (38.31), France (38.31), Ghana (38.32), Belgium (38.49), Kenya (38.51).

GB wins as Spain springs surprise

Success Eduan lived up to her name as she ran a blistering leg to anchor Great Britain and NI to victory in the women’s 4x100m final.

The 20-year-old received the baton just behind Spain’s Maria Isabel Perez and Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, but she overpowered them both and also held off USA’s Olympic 4x100m champion Twanisha Terry to take the title.

Nia Wedderburn-Goodison got a solid start and handed over to Amy Hunt, part of Great Britain’s Olympic silver medal-winning team in Paris. Bianca Williams, who ran in the heats in Paris, took over for the third leg, before passing the baton to Eduan, making her senior international debut.

Perez took off in the lead, having been put in a great position by her teammates Esperanca Cladera, Jael Bestue and Paula Sevilla, who also ran in the victorious women's 4x400m team. One day after setting a national record of 42.18 to lead the heats, that same quartet clocked 42.28 to secure the runner-up spot ahead of Jamaica.

That Jamaican team also included Natasha Morrison, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Tina Clayton, and together they ran 42.33 for third place ahead of USA. Canada – with Sade McCreath and Marie-Eloise Leclair who formed part of the winning mixed 4x100m team earlier in the evening – ran a national record of 42.46 to finish fifth.

“I don’t even know what happened – I just went past them. That is all I did," said Eduan. "We have worked hard for this. I was just so confident in these girls and what we are here for. I have a winning mentality, and I was always going to go for the gold."

The early session action had also seen China delight the home crowd by cruising to the quickest women’s 4x100m time in the second qualifying round for World Championships places. Chen Yujie, Li Yuting, Zhu Junying and Ge Manqi clocked 43.03 to win the second heat ahead of Switzerland (43.35) and Poland (43.38) and they all secured their spots for the World Championships. They will not be joined by Australia, however, as the team – the fastest non qualifiers in Saturday’s heats – struggled on the final changeover and couldn’t recover, eventually being disqualified.

Emotions were at the other end of the spectrum for Chile, as the quartet of Anais Hernandez, Maria Ignancia Montt, Isidora Jimenez and Antonia Belen Ramirez followed their national record-breaking performance on Saturday by qualifying a women’s 4x100m team for the World Athletics Championships for the first time in history.

After running 43.64 on day one, they were just a tenth of a second slower in the first heat on day two and finished third behind France and Italy to all secure their tickets for Tokyo. Chloe Galet managed to narrowly hold off Alessia Pavese to clinch top spot for France – 43.06 to 43.12.

Qualified for World Championships

Round 1 qualifiers: Spain (42.18), Jamaica (42.51), Belgium (42.80), United States (42.86), Great Britain & NI (42.92), Germany (42.98), Canada (43.11), Netherlands (43.13).
Round 2 qualifiers: China (43.03), France (43.06), Italy (43.12), Switzerland (43.35), Poland (43.38), Chile (43.74).

Inaugural mixed title for Canada

The mixed 4x100m had its global debut in Guangzhou and the Canadian quartet of Sade McCreath, Marie-Eloise Leclair, Duan Asemota and Eliezer Adjibi made the most of the opportunity. They combined to clock 40.30, Adjibi holding off Jamaica’s anchor Bryan Levell who brought his team home in 40.44. Great Britain & Northern Ireland finished third in 40.88.

Canada, Australia and Jamaica got the strongest starts and as McCreath handed over to Leclair, Australia’s Olivia Dodds passed the baton to Carla Bull and Jamaica’s Krystal Sloley took over from Serena Cole.

The third changeover, from woman to man, went smoothly and Great Britain were well in the mix as Jeriel Quinoo ran the third leg, up against Asemota for Canada and Javari Thomas for Jamaica.

Canada’s final changeover was not quite as slick as Jamaica’s, but Adjibi got away quicker and Jamaica’s Bryan Levell had no response. As Adjibi celebrated victory, he was followed by Levell and Joe Ferguson, who anchored Great Britain to third place ahead of Australia.

A day after a baton exchange mishap put paid to their hopes of making the mixed 4x100m final, USA won the earlier additional race on Sunday in 40.78 – faster than all the times achieved in the heats on Saturday.

That fumble came on the second changeover – during the woman to man baton exchange between Jada Mowatt and Kendal Williams. They both returned to the track for the additional race and there were no problems this time as they combined with Cambrea Sturgis and Pjai Austin to win, Austin narrowly holding off Germany’s anchor, Julian Wagner, who finished in 40.84.

Jess Whittington for World Athletics