The World Athletics Relays, known as the IAAF World Relays until 2019, is an international biennial track and field sporting event held by World Athletics where teams from around the world compete in relay races, some of which are not part of the standard Olympic programme. The first three editions were set to take place in Nassau, Bahamas at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Originally intended as an annual event, it was later decided to happen every odd year,[1] in the same year as the World Athletics Championships for which it serves as a qualification stage.
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The competition format for the first edition included the 4 × 100 metres relay, the 4 × 200 metres relay, the 4 × 400 metres relay, the 4 × 800 metres relay and the 4 × 1500 metres relay.[2] The first edition had a $1.4 million prize fund.
From the second edition, the 4 × 1500 metres relay was replaced by the distance medley relay.[3] However, this was short-lived and was itself replaced by a mixed-gender 4 × 400 metres relay for the third edition.[4] In 2019, the 2 × 2 × 400 m relay and the shuttle hurdles relay were added to the mixed-gender category.[5] Starting from the 2024 edition, all the non-Olympic events were removed from the programme and only the mens and women's 4 × 100 and 4 × 400 metres remained, alongside the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay. In the 2025 edition, a mixed 4 × 100 metres was added to the programme, bringing the total to 6 events.[6]
The latest World Athletics Relays were held in Guangzhou, China at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium on 10 and 11 May 2025.
Championships
edit| Edition | Year | City | Country | Date | Venue | No. of Events |
No. of Countries |
No. of Athletes |
Top of the medal table |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014 | Nassau |  Bahamas |
24–25 May | Thomas Robinson Stadium | 10 | 41 | 470 |  United States |
| 2 | 2015 | Nassau | Bahamas |
2–3 May | Thomas Robinson Stadium | 10 | 42 | 584 | United States |
| 3 | 2017 | Nassau | Bahamas |
22–23 April | Thomas Robinson Stadium | 9 | 35 | 419 | United States |
| 4 | 2019 | Yokohama |  Japan |
11–12 May | Yokohama International Stadium | 9 | 43 | 529 | United States |
| 5 | 2021 | Chorzów |  Poland |
1–2 May | Silesian Stadium | 9 | 37 | 689 |  Italy |
| 6 | 2024 | Nassau | Bahamas |
4–5 May | Thomas Robinson Stadium | 5 | 52 | 893 | United States |
| 7 | 2025 | Guangzhou |  China |
10–11 May | Tianhe Stadium | 6 | 43 | 734 |  South Africa |
| 8 | 2026 | Gaborone |  Botswana |
2–3 May | Botswana National Stadium | 6 | 40 | 723 |  Jamaica |
| 9 | 2028 | Nassau | Bahamas |
22–23 April | Thomas Robinson Stadium |
Events
edit| Event | Year | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discipline | Gender | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2021 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
| 4 × 100 metres relay | Men | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mixed | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Women | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Shuttle hurdles relay | Mixed | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 4 × 200 metres relay | Men | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Women | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| 4 × 400 metres relay | Men | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mixed | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Women | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 2 × 2 × 400 metres relay | Mixed | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 4 × 800 metres relay | Men | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Women | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| Distance medley relay | Men | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Women | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| 4 × 1500 metres relay | Men | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Women | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
Championships records
edit
Men
edit| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 100 m relay | 37.38 | Mike Rodgers Justin Gatlin Tyson Gay Ryan Bailey |
 United States |
2 May 2015 | 2015 IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | [7] |
| 4 × 200 m relay | 1:18.63 | Nickel Ashmeade Warren Weir Jermaine Brown Yohan Blake |
Jamaica |
24 May 2014 | 2014 IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | [8] |
| 4 × 400 m relay | 2:57.25 | David Verburg Tony McQuay Christian Taylor LaShawn Merritt |
United States |
25 May 2014 | 2014 IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | [9] |
| 4 × 800 m relay | 7:04.84 | Duane Solomon Erik Sowinski Casimir Loxsom Robby Andrews |
United States |
3 May 2015 | 2015 IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | [10] |
| Distance medley relay | 9:15.50 | Kyle Merber 2:53.56 (1200 m) Brycen Spratling 45.95 (400 m) Brandon Johnson 1:44.75 (800 m) Ben Blankenship 3:51.24 (1600 m) |
United States |
3 May 2015 | 2015 IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | [11] |
| 4 × 1500 m relay | 14:22.22 | Collins Cheboi Silas Kiplagat James Kiplagat Magut Asbel Kiprop |
 Kenya |
25 May 2014 | 2014 IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | [12] |
Women
editMixed
edit| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 400 m relay | 3:07.47 A | Bryce Deadmon Paris Peoples Jenoah McKiver Bailey Lear |
United States |
3 May 2026 | 2026 Relays | Gaborone, Botswana | [19] |
| 2 × 2 × 400 m relay | 3:36.92 | Ce'Aira Brown Donavan Brazier |
United States |
11 May 2019 | 2019 Relays | Yokohama, Japan | [20] |
| Shuttle hurdle relay | 54.96 | Christina Clemons Freddie Crittenden Sharika Nelvis Devon Allen |
United States |
11 May 2019 | 2019 Relays | Yokohama, Japan | [21] |
Medal table
edit- As of the 2026 edition[22]
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 29 | 9 | 3 | 41 |
| 2 | Jamaica | 7 | 10 | 7 | 24 |
| 3 | Poland | 3 | 8 | 1 | 12 |
| 4 | Kenya | 3 | 6 | 3 | 12 |
| 5 |  Germany | 3 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
| 6 | Italy | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 |  Canada | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
| 8 | South Africa | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 9 | Botswana | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 10 |  France | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 11 |  Spain | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 12 | Bahamas | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 |  Great Britain | 1 | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| 14 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 15 |  Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 16 |  Brazil | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 17 |  Nigeria | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 18 |  Cuba | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Norway | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 20 | Japan | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 21 |  Australia | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| 22 |  Belgium | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 23 | China | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 24 |  Ireland | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 25 |  Barbados | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Belarus | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 28 |  Denmark | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Dominican Republic | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Ecuador | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Ethiopia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Portugal | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Russia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Slovenia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (34 entries) | 64 | 64 | 63 | 191 | |
Multiple wins
editMultiple wins athletes are:[23]
- Three wins
| Athlete | Country | Events |
|---|---|---|
| Nickel Ashmeade | Jamaica | Men's 4 × 100 m 2014, 4 × 200 m 2014/2015 |
| Tony McQuay | United States | Men's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015/2017 |
| LaShawn Merritt | United States | Men's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015/2017 |
| David Verburg | United States | Men's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015/2017 |
| Natasha Hastings | United States | Women's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015/2017 |
| Chanelle Price | United States | Women's 4 × 800 m 2014/2015/2017 |
| Sanya Richards-Ross | United States | Women's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015, Distance Medley Relay 2015 |
- Two wins
| Athlete | Country | Events |
|---|---|---|
| Yohan Blake | Jamaica | Men's 4 × 100 m 2014, 4 × 200 m 2014 |
| Justin Gatlin | United States | Men's 4 × 100 m 2015/2017 |
| Casimir Loxsom | United States | Men's 4 × 800 m 2015/2017 |
| Erik Sowinski | United States | Men's 4 × 800 m 2015/2017 |
| Warren Weir | Jamaica | Men's 4 × 200 m 2014/2015 |
| Phyllis Francis | United States | Women's 4 × 400 m 2015/2017 |
| Ajeé Wilson | United States | Women's 4 × 800 m 2014, Distance Medley Relay 2015 |
| Quanera Hayes | United States |
Women's 4 × 400 m 2017/2024 |
| Gabrielle Thomas | United States |
Women's 4 × 100 m 2024, Women's 4 × 400 m 2024 |
| Lynna Irby | United States |
Mixed 4 × 400 m 2024/2025 |
References
edit- ↑ IAAF World Relays bidding information
- ↑ "Bahamas to host inaugural IAAF World Relay Championships". Caribbean 360. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- ↑ "World Relays 2015 website". Archived from the original on 2015-02-08.
- ↑ Competitions Update. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-21.
- ↑ Hardik Vyas (11 January 2019). "Athletics: Mixed shuttle hurdles added to World Relays program". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ↑ "10 things to look forward to in 2025". World Athletics. 1 January 2025. Archived from the original on 8 January 2025. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ↑ "Men's 4×100m Final Results" (PDF). IAAF. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
- ↑ Simon Hart (25 May 2014). "Jamaica men break 4x200 metre relay record at IAAF World Relays in Nassau - and without Usain Bolt". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ↑ "Men's 4x400m Relay Results". IAAF. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ↑ "Men's 4×800m Final Results" (PDF). IAAF. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
- ↑ "Men's Distance Medley Relay Final Results" (PDF). IAAF. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
- ↑ "Men's 4×1500m Relay Results". IAAF. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ↑ "4 x 100 Metres Relay Women results" (PDF). World Athletics. 5 May 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ↑ "4×200m Relay Results" (PDF). IAAF. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ↑ "Women's 4×400m Relay Final B Results" (PDF). IAAF. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
- ↑ "Women's 4×800m Relay Results" (PDF). IAAF. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
- ↑ "Women's Distance Medley Relay Final Results" (PDF). IAAF. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
- ↑ "Men's 4x800m Relay Results". IAAF. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ↑ "Mixed 4×400 Metres Relay Final Results" (PDF). World Athletics. 3 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ "2×2×400m Relay Result". IAAF. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ↑ "Shuttle Hurdles Relay Result". IAAF. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ↑ Christopher Kelsall (9 March 2022). "South Africa to lose relay World's gold due to doping ban to Thando Dlodlo". athleticsillustrated.com. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ↑ "Yokohama 2019 Facts & Figures". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
External links
edit- World Athletics Relays on worldathletics.org
- Yokohama 2019 Official Website at the Wayback Machine (archived 2019-09-05)