The victorious US women's 4x800m team at the IAAF World Relays (© Getty Images)
Their team might be lacking their two star performers from last year, but the USA is still the overwhelming favourite to win the women’s 4x800m in Nassau.
Ajee Wilson and Brenda Martinez ran 1:59.1 and 1:58.7 respectively for their legs in Nassau in 2014, but Wilson is focusing on the distance medley while Martinez won’t be in The Bahamas. Nevertheless, the US team boasts four women who have already run faster than 2:02 this year.
World indoor champion Chanelle Price will team up with 2010 world indoor bronze medallist Alysia Montano and Maggie Vessey in the hope of improving on the 8:01.58 championship record set in 2014.
Poland appears to have the next-best team with the likes of world indoor silver medallist Angelika Cichoka, European junior silver medallist Sofia Ennaoui and 2013 European indoor 1500m bronze medallist Katarzyna Broniatowska.
Cuba could also spring a surprise. Sahily Diago, with a best of 1:57.74, will join fellow world junior silver medallist Gilda Casanova and sub-two-minute performer Rose Mary Almanza.
A Kenyan team boasting two world 800m champions finished second last year, but their team for 2015 is considerably weaker. It means last year’s fourth-place finishers Australia look set to at least match or better their performance from 2014.
Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF
