Four athletes, Ackeem Blake, Tina Clayton, Kadrian Goldson, and Tia Clayton, achieved a time of 39,99 seconds in the third qualifying heat. This performance significantly surpassed the previous record of 40,7 seconds, which Canada had set just minutes earlier. The achievement also broke the 40,30-second mark, which was the world's best when this event debuted at last year's competition in Guangzhou.
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Jamaica poses next to the scoreboard displaying the world record at the Debswana Gaborone 2026 World Athletics Relays. Photo: World Athletics |
Competing in the order of male-female-male-female, Blake handed the baton to Tina Clayton, before Goldson and Tia Clayton completed the race. In the final leg, Tia Clayton's powerful sprint helped Jamaica become the first team to run the mixed 4x100m relay in under 40 seconds.
"It is an honor to represent our country and wear the Jamaican colors", Tina Clayton said. "We are always proud to compete".
In the first heat, the Canadian team, consisting of Eliezer Adjibi, Marie-Eloise Leclair, Duan Asemota, and Audrey Leduc, finished first with a time of 40,07 seconds. Leduc impressed in the final leg, helping Canada surpass Germany (40,15 seconds), the Netherlands (40,20 seconds), and Nigeria (40,24 seconds) — all of whom also broke the old record. However, Leduc believes Canada can still improve their performance in the final.
The eight best-performing teams qualified for the final on 3/5, securing their spots for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing. The six top teams in the final will further qualify for the Ultimate Championship, scheduled to take place in Budapest in September.
Beyond the mixed event, Jamaica continued to demonstrate its strength in the women's 4x100m, leading the qualifiers. The quartet of Shericka Jackson, Jodean Williams, Lavanya Williams, and Jonielle Smith achieved a time of 41,96 seconds in the third heat. Germany placed second in this heat with 42,44 seconds.
Earlier, Spain won the first heat with 42,26 seconds, ahead of Canada (42,39 seconds). The second heat saw Trung Quoc finish first (42,62 seconds), while Italy secured second place with 42,94 seconds, thanks to a strong sprint by indoor 60m world champion Zaynab Dosso.
"We are aiming for the gold medal", Shericka Jackson said. "This is my first time in Africa, and I am truly impressed with the enthusiastic atmosphere here".
| The 2026 World Relays are taking place on 2-3/5 at the Botswana National Stadium in Gaborone. This is the 8th edition of the event and the first time it has been hosted in Botswana, and in Africa. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe noted that Africa is gaining experience in organizing major competitions, as this marks the fourth world championship event the region has hosted in the past decade. The hosting rights were approved during a World Athletics Federation Council meeting in Nanjing, Trung Quoc, in March. The event also serves as a qualifier for two major competitions: the 2026 Ultimate Championship in Budapest and the 2027 World Championships in Beijing. Accordingly, the six top teams in the mixed 4x100m and 4x400m relay events will directly qualify for Budapest, while the 12 leading teams in each event will qualify for the competition in Beijing. |
Hong Duy (according to World Athletics)
