• Mixed 4x400m makes its debut on the World Indoor Championships programme
• USA are the outdoor world record-holders and winner of the past two world titles outdoors
• Netherlands, Poland and Belgium will provide stiff opposition

Twenty-two years after the last significant change to the programme, the World Athletics Indoor Championships marks a new chapter in its history with the inclusion of the mixed 4x400m.

The discipline has proven a popular addition to the World Championships and Olympic programme in recent seasons, and last year it featured at the European Indoor Championships for the first time. On Saturday 21 March, six teams will take to the track for the inaugural mixed 4x400m at the World Indoor Championships.

Relays powerhouse USA have won the mixed 4x400m at the past two outdoor World Championships, as well as the past two editions of the World Relays. They also hold the outdoor world record, so they naturally start as the favourites – albeit just marginally, given that this is a new discipline indoors, which makes it a bit challenging to assess.

The US squad includes Elija Godwin, a 44.75 performer indoors at his best. He has previously earned world indoor and outdoor golds in the men’s 4x400m, as well as world and Olympic bronze medals in the mixed 4x400m. Teammate Justin Robinson, meanwhile, contributed to USA’s gold medals in both the men’s and mixed 4x400m relays at the 2023 World Championships.

But the USA will be up against the two countries that beat them to mixed 4x400m gold at the past two Olympic Games.

Netherlands, the Olympic champions, won the mixed 4x400m title at the European Indoor Championships on home soil last year. They clocked 3:15.63, which is the fastest time ever recorded for the event indoors, though it’s not yet an official world short track record discipline.

Poland will not only have the home town advantage, they also have two of the team members from their Olympic triumph in 2021: Justyna Swiety-Ersetic and Kajetan Duszynski. In fact, Swiety-Ersetic is perhaps the most experienced relay runner entered for the championships, having competed back in 2014 when Poland last hosted the World Indoors.

Spain, perhaps the most improved relays nation over the past two years, fields a team that includes Paula Sevilla and Blanca Hervas, both of whom featured on the victorious women’s 4x400m team at last year’s World Relays.

When the mixed 4x400m made its debut at the outdoor World Championships in 2019, Jamaica took silver. The Caribbean nation will look to do the same again when the discipline makes its global indoor debut.

The six-nation line-up is completed by Belgium, the European indoor silver medallists. Their squad includes Helena Ponette, who earned mixed 4x400m bronze at last year’s World Championships.

Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

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