The World Athletics Championships in Budapest are set to be a thrilling showcase of speed, stamina, and team coordination, particularly in the relay events. In the men’s and women’s 4x100m, we anticipate a fierce contest as top sprinting nations go head-to-head. Traditional powerhouses like the USA and Jamaica will be out in full force. However, emerging teams from countries like Italy, Poland, Ivory Coast, Netherlands and Belgium have shown immense potential in recent years, making the outcome unpredictable. The 4x400m will test not only the athletes’ speed but also their endurance. Canada and Dominican Republic with their recent stellar performances, cannot be overlooked alongside stalwarts like the USA and Great Britain. Meanwhile, the mixed relays promise a unique blend of strategy and raw pace, offering an exciting variation from conventional relays. Here, teams must decide the order of male and female runners to best exploit their strengths against competitors. With national pride at stake and the world watching, Budapest is primed to witness some of the most electrifying relay races in the history of the Championships.
Women’s 4×100 relay:
The United States have won five world titles in the past 20 years, including at the most recent edition in Eugene 2022, when the home team claimed the gold medal in 41.14 beating Jamaica by four hundredths of a second.
Jamaica won two consecutive Olympic titles in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2021 and hold five of eight fastest times in history.
A strong US team formed by Melissa Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and Aleia Hobbs set the fastest time in the world this year with 41.75 at the Texas Relays in Austin. This time was set without some of the sprinters, who will be in the US team at the World Championships in Budapest.
US 100 metres champion Sha’Carri Richardson, 200m Olympic bronze medallist Gabby Thomas, 2019 world 200m silver medallist Brittany Brown and Twanisha Terry are among the available sprinters, who could form a formidable team.
Jamaica set their fastest time this year with 42.80 in Devonshire, but they did not feature Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce and Shericka Jackson. Fraser Pryce reached the podium at the World Championships seven times, including four gold medals. She owns the most 4×100 relay medals of any athlete in World Championships history.
Great Britain could be among the strongest candidates for the podium, as it features Dina Asher Smith and Daryil Neita, who run…
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