All roads lead to Podebrady for the European Race Walking Team Championships &ndash; a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting &ndash; on Sunday (18).
The spa town in the Czech Republic hosts Europe&rsquo;s finest for the third time in a row. There are races at 20km and 35km, but the outstanding duel of the day could well be the women&rsquo;s race at the longer distance.
Spain&rsquo;s double world champion Maria Perez aims for back-to-back titles after winning two years ago in a world record of 2:37:15. But she faces 2021 Olympic 20km race walk champion Antonella Palmisano, who is making her debut at 35km.
As well as Perez, the Italian lines up against Antigoni Ntrismpioti: double gold medallist at the 2022 European Championships in Munich. The Greek eyes a third successive title after winning the inaugural 35km in 2021 before dropping down to win the 20km in 2023.
Even so, top of the 2025 list so far is Palmisano&rsquo;s teammate Eleonora Giorgi with a PB of 2:41:54, set in Turkiye in February. Second best on 2025 times for this race is a third Italian, Federica Curiazzi with 2:41:54.
Spain&rsquo;s Laura Garcia-Caro won&rsquo;t have to worry about Lyudmila Olyanovska pipping her on the line this time. Last year&rsquo;s European 20km race walk bronze medallist, who overtook a startled Garcia-Caro inches before the finish line in Rome, goes in the 20km. The Ukrainian earned team silver in the women&rsquo;s 20km in 2023 and has already posted 1:28:28 in Dudince this year.
However, she&rsquo;s not the fastest 2025 athlete in this race. That honour belongs to Spain&rsquo;s Antia Chamosa with 1:27:55 at the end of March posted at her country&rsquo;s national championships.
Yet another Italian, Alexandrina Mihai, is third ranked with a PB of 1:28:57, recorded at the Italian Championships at the end of March. At only 21, her country&rsquo;s production line of top race walkers looks set to continue.
In the men&rsquo;s 35km, Massimo Stano is odds-on favourite. The Olympic 20km gold medallist in Sapporo four years ago posted a telling 37:33.03 over 10,000m on home soil last month. It shattered the long-standing European best set by Spain&rsquo;s Francesco Fernandez in 2008.
Before that, Stano clocked a sharp 1:18:28 in March at the Taicang leg of the Race Walking Tour. In December, his 2:24:19 in Ireland for 35km was enough to give him options at September&rsquo;s World Championships in Tokyo.
That said, Christopher Linke won the 20km here in 2017; and was second in 2023 at 35km while setting a German record of 2:24:40 at Dudince in March.
Spain's Miguel Angel Lopez also lines up. The 2015 world champion is now 36, like Linke, but did record a sprightly 2:27:55 on home soil in March.
European champion Perseus Karlstrom is entered, but the two-time winner at 20km for this competition is keeping options open by also entering the 20km.
Ahead of the Swede on race rankings are Dominik Cerny from the Slovak Republic, who set a 2:26:31 PB in Dudince, and Stano&rsquo;s teammates Matteo Giupponi (2:27:18, likewise from Dudince) and Riccardo Orsoni (2:27:20 at the Italian Championships this year).
Italy comes to the fore in the men&rsquo;s 20km too. Francesco Fortunato plans to defend his title, and following the 1:18:49 PB he set in Taicang earlier this year, few would bet against him making it a double.
Depending on where Karlstrom lines up, chances are Andrea Cosi, with a season&rsquo;s best of 1:20:42, will chase the leader to the line.
European silver medallist Paul McGrath is the Spanish team&rsquo;s main hope. He has yet to post a 2025 time, but a 1:17:55 PB to go with an emphatic silver at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships last year suggests either Karlstom or Fortunato &ndash; or both &ndash; face a challenge.
As one can imagine from their numerous mentions, Spain and Italy, who swept all but one of the titles &ndash; individual and team &ndash; at the 2023 races, are set to dominate yet again.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics

All roads lead to Podebrady for the European Race Walking Team Championships – a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting – on Sunday (18).

Perez and Stano poised to strike in Podebrady

The origins of athletics are lost in the mists of time, but one milestone serves as a reference point for the foundation of modern athletics meetings: the first Oxford vs Cambridge Athletics Match, held in 1864.
This year, the event celebrates its <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6825dd122d3361d62d0c6608.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">150th edition, along with the 50th anniversary of the Women&rsquo;s Varsity Match</a>, accompanied by a two-day pop-up exhibition from the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) on 16-17 May 2025.
On 5 March 1864, 28 undergraduate men competed in eight events, resulting in a draw between the two teams. This year, nearly 200 athletes from both men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s teams will fight for victory across 60 events in a celebration of sporting tradition.
World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon, a Cambridge University alumnus, commented: &ldquo;World Athletics and the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) are delighted to celebrate the rich athletics history of the Varsity Athletics Match between Oxford &amp; Cambridge Universities, which is marking its 150th edition on 17 May.
&ldquo;Our MOWA pop-up exhibition &ndash; &lsquo;Women in Athletics&rsquo;, which will be situated during the weekend of the match in the Pavilion at the Cambridge University sports ground track &ndash; commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Women&rsquo;s Match, with competition artefacts from some of the greatest British and international stars of our sport.
&ldquo;Our displays include the 1948 London Olympic accreditation card of Fanny Blankers-Koen who won four gold medals at those post-war Games, and the Paris 2024 Olympic marathon singlet and name bib of another Flying Dutchwoman, Sifan Hassan, who won three medals last year.
&ldquo;On Saturday (17), I am especially looking forward to presenting two World Athletics Heritage Plaques which will be placed on permanent display in the Pavilion. These awards salute the illustrious history of the Varsity Match which was first contested in 1864, and that of this year&rsquo;s hosts, the Cambridge University Athletic Club.&rdquo;
<h2>Highlighting Heritage</h2>
Alongside the competition, a MOWA pop-up will present two themed displays concerning the history of timekeeping and women in athletics.
The exhibition will take place on 16 May (private viewing; not open to the public) and 17 May (open to athletes and spectators attending the Varsity Match).
&lsquo;Timing Innovation and the Pursuit of Precision&rsquo; illustrates the Varsity Match&rsquo;s important role in the history of sports. The earliest use of automated timing in our sport took place at the 11th edition of the Oxford vs Cambridge match in 1874 at Lillie Bridge, West Brompton, London.
The timing device was developed by local watchmaker James W Benson, much earlier than one might expect, considering electronically timed records were not officially recognised until exactly a century later.
Despite being the highlight of that edition, this pioneering innovation, which would allow for the reading of the hundredth of a second &ndash; now considered the gold standard in timing &ndash; was met with a mixed reception and, quite surprisingly, soon faded into obscurity, making this exhibition a rare opportunity to rediscover a breakthrough as remarkable as it is forgotten.
It was an important step in the long history of sport timekeeping, from the earliest praised &lsquo;records&rsquo; of running kings and pharaohs measured by the sun&rsquo;s position, to astronomical instruments originally intended for celestial motion but adapted to time human speed in the 17th and 18th centuries, and finally the use of video technology that slices sprint finishes into thousandths of a second. This relentless pursuit of ever-shorter time intervals will be illustrated through graphical timeline roll-ups.
&lsquo;Women in Athletics&rsquo; celebrates the achievements of women in athletics, whose events were officially introduced into the Varsity Match programme in 1975. To honour this anniversary, MOWA will present a curated selection of rare and iconic artefacts.
Among the highlights:
<ul>
<li>1948 Olympic accreditation card of Fanny Blankers-Koen, the only woman to win four Olympic athletics gold medals and the first to win an Olympic title while also being a mother, an accomplishment that challenged gender norms of the era;</li>
<li>The silver-dipped spikes of Diane Leather, who, in 1954, became the first woman to run the mile in under five minutes just days after Roger Bannister&rsquo;s historic sub-four-minute in Oxford, yet received only a fraction of the attention; 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6288aeeb333e6d7b92ee890b.jpg" alt="Diane Leather's silvered sub-five-minute mile spikes" /></div>
</li>
<li>The running shoes worn by Jacqueline Hansen and Grete Waitz, two marathon pioneers who broke the 2:40 and 2:30 barriers respectively;</li>
<li>Irena Szewinska&rsquo;s 400m world record spikes from the 1976 Montreal Olympics, symbolising the peak of a career that remains one of the most celebrated in track and field history;</li>
<li>The spiked shoes of Nawal El Moutawakel, who became the first African woman to win Olympic gold on the track (400m hurdles), and of Allyson Felix during the first of her 14 world titles (200m);</li>
<li>The singlet and bib number worn by Sifan Hassan during her victorious Olympic marathon in Paris 2024 where she also won medals at 5000m and 10000m, emulating Emil Zatopek&rsquo;s legendary feat.</li>
</ul>
<h3>A Commemorative postcard</h3>
A commemorative MOWA postcard is being produced especially for the event. It features a Benson chronometer from 1871, used to time Varsity Match races, with numbers redesigned to honour iconic women in athletics arranged in chronological order, forming a visual timeline around the dial that symbolises the rich hours of the sport.
Pierre-Jean Vazel for World Athletics Heritage
&nbsp;
<hr />
&nbsp;
MOWA Pop-Up Exhibition The Pavilion Cambridge University Athletics Track Wilberforce Road Sports Ground 18 Adams Road Cambridge CB3 9AD
Schedule Friday 16 May &ndash;&nbsp;MOWA Display: Private opening by invitation only Saturday 17 May &ndash; MOWA Display: Open to the public all day. 10.00hrs &ndash; Competition begins 12.30hrs &ndash; World Athletics Heritage Plaques ceremony 17.45hrs &ndash; Prize ceremony

One milestone serves as a reference point for the foundation of modern athletics meetings: the first Oxford vs Cambridge Athletics Match, held in 1864

MOWA exhibition and two Heritage Plaques celebrate 150th Varsity Match

While the focus will be on winning medals, it is inevitable that during an event that pits the world&rsquo;s greatest athletes against each other, records will be under threat.
One world record, seven championship records, 11 area records and 73 national records were set at the last edition of the World Athletics Championships, held in Budapest in 2023.
So which events will be contested at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, taking place from 13-21 September, and what will athletes need to do to set a record in Japan&rsquo;s capital city later this year?
Here&rsquo;s a rundown of the World Athletics Championships records and events, plus athletics world records.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/100-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 9.58 (Usain Bolt, 2009), women &ndash; 10.49 (Florence Griffith Joyner, 1988) Championship record: men &ndash; 9.58 (Usain Bolt, 2009), women &ndash; 10.65 (Sha'Carri Richardson, 2023)
Jamaican sprint great <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/jamaica/usain-bolt-14201847" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Usain Bolt</a> set world records in both the 100m and 200m at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. The closest any other athlete has got since is 9.69 achieved by two athletes: Tyson Gay later that same year and Yohan Blake in 2012.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/200-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">200 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 19.19 (Usain Bolt, 2009), women &ndash; 21.34 (Florence Griffith Joyner, 1988) Championship record: 19.19 (Usain Bolt, 2009), women &ndash; 21.41 (Shericka Jackson, 2023)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/400-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">400 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 43.03 (Wayde van Niekerk, 2016), women &ndash; 47.60 (Marita Koch, 1985) Championship record: men &ndash; 43.18 (Michael Johnson, 1999), women &ndash; 47.99 (Jarmila Kratochvilova, 1983)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/800-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">800 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 1:40.91 (David Rudisha, 2012), women &ndash; 1:53.28 (Jarmila Kratochvilova, 1983) Championship record: men &ndash; 1:42.34 (Donavan Brazier, 2019), women &ndash; 1:54.68 (Jarmila Kratochvilova, 1983)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/1500-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1500 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 3:26.00 (Hicham El Guerrouj, 1998), women &ndash; 3:49.04 (Faith Kipyegon, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 3:27.65 (Hicham El Guerrouj, 1999), women &ndash; 3:51.95 (Sifan Hassan, 2019)
Kenya&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/faith-kipyegon-14413305" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Faith Kipyegon</a> has already won three world 1500m titles (and one world 5000m gold). She could have her eye on the championship record if she decides to defend her title again in Tokyo.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/5000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5000 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 12:35.36 (Joshua Cheptegei, 2020), women &ndash; 14:00.21 (Gudaf Tsegay, 2023) Championship record: men &ndash; 12:52.79 (Eliud Kipchoge, 2003), women &ndash; 14:26.72 (Hellen Obiri, 2019)
Kenya&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/eliud-kipchoge-14208194" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eliud Kipchoge</a> might now be known as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, but back in 2003 the then 18-year-old became famous for a <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/news/kipchoge-bekele-el-guerrouj-paris-2003-5000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Championships race for the ages</a> in which he beat <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/morocco/hicham-el-guerrouj-14212038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hicham El Guerrouj</a> and <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ethiopia/kenenisa-bekele-14181357" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kenenisa Bekele</a> in 12:52.79, a time that remains the championship record.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/64f0ac49df683070ac7684c5.jpg" alt="Eliud Kipchoge beats Hicham El Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele to the 2003 world 5000m title in Paris" />
Eliud Kipchoge beats Hicham El Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele to the 2003 world 5000m title in Paris (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/10000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10,000 metres</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 26:11.00 (Joshua Cheptegei, 2020), women &ndash; 28:54.14 (Beatrice Chebet, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 26:46.31 (Kenenisa Bekele, 2009), women &ndash; 30:04.18 (Berhane Adere, 2003)
Kenya&rsquo;s Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/beatrice-chebet-14749924" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beatrice Chebet</a> could be among the world record-holders on the hunt for another global gold in Tokyo.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/road-running/marathon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marathon</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 2:00:35 (Kelvin Kiptum, 2023), women &ndash; 2:15:50* women-only (Tigist Assefa, 2025) Championship record: men &ndash; 2:05:36 (Tamirat Tola, 2022), women &ndash; 2:18:11 (Gotytom Gebreslase, 2022)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/3000-metres-steeplechase" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3000 metres steeplechase</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 7:52.11 (Lamecha Girma, 2023), women &ndash; 8:44.32 (Beatrice Chepkoech, 2018) Championship record: men &ndash; 8:00.43 (Ezekiel Kemboi, 2009), women &ndash; 8:53.02 (Norah Jeruto, 2022)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/100-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 metres hurdles</a></h3>
World record: women &ndash; 12.12 (Tobi Amusan, 2022) Championship record: women &ndash; 12.12 (Tobi Amusan, 2022)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/110-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">110 metres hurdles</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 12.80 (Aries Merritt, 2012) Championship record: men &ndash; 12.91 (Colin Jackson, 1993)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/400-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">400 metres hurdles</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 45.94 (Karsten Warholm, 2021), women &ndash; 50.37 (Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 46.29 (Alison dos Santos, 2022), women &ndash; 50.68 (Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, 2022)
USA&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/sydney-mclaughlin-levrone-14624749" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone</a> set the fourth world record of her career when winning the world title in 2022. She has since improved that mark by another three tenths of a second.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62db64230438b364fd120b8a.jpg" alt="Sydney McLaughlin wins the 400m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22" />
Sydney McLaughlin wins the 400m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/combined-events/heptathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heptathlon</a></h3>
World record: women &ndash; 7291 points (Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 1988) Championship record: women &ndash; 7128 points (Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 1987)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/combined-events/decathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Decathlon</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 9126 points (Kevin Mayer, 2018) Championship record: men &ndash; 9045 points (Ashton Eaton, 2015)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/high-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">High jump</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 2.45m (Javier Sotomayor, 1993), women &ndash; 2.10m (Yaroslava Mahuchikh, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 2.41m (Bohdan Bondarenko, 2013), women &ndash; 2.09m (Stefka Kostadinova, 1987)
When clearing 2.10m in Paris last year, Ukraine&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/ukraine/yaroslava-mahuchikh-14739628" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yaroslava Mahuchikh</a> added a centimetre to the world record that had been set by Stefka Kostadinova at the World Championships in 1987.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/pole-vault">Pole vault</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 6.27m (Mondo Duplantis, 2025), women &ndash; 5.06m (Yelena Isinbaeva, 2009) Championship record: men &ndash; 6.21m (Mondo Duplantis, 2022), women &ndash; 5.01m (Yelena Isinbaeva, 2005)
Sweden&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/sweden/armand-duplantis-14679502" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mondo Duplantis</a> has proven that he can deliver on the biggest stages, setting three of his 11 world records in global championship finals. Can he achieve another pole vault world record in Tokyo?
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/long-jump">Long jump</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 8.95m (Mike Powell, 1991), women &ndash; 7.52m (Galina Chistyakova, 1988) Championship record: men &ndash; 8.95m (Mike Powell, 1991), women &ndash; 7.36m (Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 1987)
Tokyo last hosted the World Athletics Championships in 1991, when <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/mike-powell-14248761" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Powell</a> soared a long jump world record of 8.95m in what went down as one of the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/news/mike-powell-long-jump-world-record-tokyo-1991-carl-lewis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greatest duels in athletics history</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CFj6RzlWNtM?si=ssjThaJOd2ghVjGM" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/triple-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Triple jump</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 18.29m (Jonathan Edwards, 1995), women &ndash; 15.74m (Yulimar Rojas, 2022) Championship record: men &ndash; 18.29m (Jonathan Edwards, 1995), women &ndash; 15.50m (Inessa Kravets, 1995)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/shot-put" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shot put</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 23.56m (Ryan Crouser, 2023), women &ndash; 22.63m (Natalya Lisovskaya, 1987) Championship record: men &ndash; 23.51m (Ryan Crouser, 2023), women &ndash; 21.24m (Valerie Adams, 2011, and Natalya Lisovskaya, 1987)
USA&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/ryan-crouser-14369211" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ryan Crouser</a> is the titan of the men&rsquo;s shot put and he will be seeking another big throw as he hunts for his third consecutive world title outdoors.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/discus-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Discus throw</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 75.56m* (Mykolas Alekna, 2025), women &ndash; 76.80m (Gabriele Reinsch, 1988) Championship record: men &ndash; 71.46m (Daniel Stahl, 2023), women &ndash; 71.62m (Martina Hellmann, 1987)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/hammer-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hammer throw</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 86.74m (Yuriy Sedykh, 1986), women &ndash; 82.98m (Anita Wlodarczyk, 2016) Championship record: men &ndash; 83.63m (Ivan Tikhon, 2007), women &ndash; 80.85m (Anita Wlodarczyk, 2015)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/javelin-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Javelin throw</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 98.48m (Jan Zelezny, 1996), women &ndash; 72.28m (Barbora Spotakova, 2008) Championship record: men &ndash; 92.80m (Jan Zelezny, 2001), women &ndash; 71.70m (Olisdeilys Menendez, 2005)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/race-walks/20-kilometres-race-walk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 kilometres race walk</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 1:16:10 (Toshikazu Yamanishi, 2025), women &ndash; 1:23:49 (Yang Jiayu, 2021) Championship record: men &ndash; 1:17:21 (Jefferson Perez, 2003), women &ndash; 1:25:41 (Olimpiada Ivanova, 2005)
Fresh from a world record earlier this year, Japan&rsquo;s <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/japan/toshikazu-yamanishi-14573292" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toshikazu Yamanishi</a> will want to take that form with him to Tokyo, to clinch a third world crown on home soil.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/race-walks/35-kilometres-race-walk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">35 kilometres race walk</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 2:21:47 (Masatora Kawano, 2024), women &ndash; 2:37:15 (Maria Perez, 2023) Championship record: men &ndash; 2:23:14 (Massimo Stano, 2022), women &ndash; 2:38:40 (Maria Perez, 2023)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x100 metres relay</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 36.84 (Jamaica, 2012), women &ndash; 40.82 (United States, 2012) Championship record: men &ndash; 37.04 (Jamaica, 2011), women &ndash; 41.03 (United States, 2023)
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x400 metres relay</a></h3>
World record: men &ndash; 2:54.29 (United States, 1993), women &ndash; 3:15.17 (Soviet Union, 1988), mixed &ndash; 3:07.41 (United States, 2024) Championship record: men &ndash; 2:54.29 (United States, 1993), women &ndash; 3:16.71 (United States, 1993), mixed &ndash; 3:08.80 (United States, 2023)
Although record-holders will be in action in many events, a big part of the excitement at global championships is seeing which breakthrough performers will secure the spotlight. Like&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/world-athletics-indoor-championships-7136586/news/report/nanjing-25-women-long-jump-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Claire Bryant</a>&nbsp;in the long jump and&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/world-athletics-indoor-championships-7136586/news/report/nanjing-25-women-pole-vault-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marie-Julie Bonnin</a>&nbsp;in the pole vault at the recent World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, sometimes rising stars time their peaks to perfection.
*pending ratification
&nbsp;
Records correct as of 14 May 2025. Full up-to-date <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world</a>, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-championships-in-athletics-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">championship</a> and <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/african-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">area</a> records lists can be found in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/records/by-category/world-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stats section of the World Athletics website</a>
&nbsp;

World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025

A rundown of World Athletics Championships events, World Athletics Championships records and athletics world records

Record watch at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

There was a question many fans were asking during the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25, particularly in the women&rsquo;s events, as the yellow and orange vests were to the fore in various races: when did Spain get so good at relays?
First, there was their victory in qualification round one of the women&rsquo;s 4x100m, their quartet of Esperanca Cladera, Jael Bestue, Paula Sevilla and Maria Isabel Perez setting a national record of 42.18 to defeat a formidable Jamaican line-up of Tina Clayton, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Tia Clayton and Shericka Jackson.&nbsp;
A day later, they proved it was no fluke. Finishing ahead of Jamaica, and USA, Spain claimed the runner-up spot behind Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland in the final, clocking 42.28.&nbsp;
Then, in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m final, Sevilla, Eva Santidrian, Daniela Fra and Blanca Hervas teamed up to take victory, clocking a national record of 3:24.13 to beat USA (3:24.72) and South Africa (3:24.84).&nbsp;
Before last weekend, Spain had never made the podium at the World Relays. They have only one relay medal in the history of the World Athletics Indoor Championships &ndash; a silver in the men&rsquo;s 4x400m from 2022 &ndash; and no relay medals on the track at the World Athletics Championships or at the Olympics.&nbsp;
But here they were, mixing it with the sprint superpowers, with another national record falling in the mixed 4x400m as David Garcia, Carmen Aviles, Samuel Garcia and Blanca Hervas clocked 3:12.55 to win the second qualification round and book a place at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 later this year.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6820c115d4224faec7754d35.jpg" alt="The Spanish mixed 4x400m team celebrates at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25" />
The Spanish mixed 4x400m team celebrates at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 (&copy; Getty Images for World Athletics)
</div>
So, how did Spain get so good at relays?
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a good question,&rdquo; said Bestue, who was part of the mixed and women&rsquo;s 4x100m teams in Guangzhou. &ldquo;We do a lot of relay camps to improve our relay team because we think it&rsquo;s a big opportunity for us in international championships. We work on the changes and work so hard on the confidence &ndash; to trust in our teammates.&rdquo;
Bestue faced disappointment in the mixed 4x100m in Guangzhou, her handoff to a male teammate, Adria Alfonso, going wrong and seeing them break the zone, but there were no such issues in the women&rsquo;s 4x100m an hour later &ndash; the Spaniards&rsquo; slick exchanges on show as they powered to victory in a national record.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We have a plan, we follow the plan,&rdquo; said Bestue. &ldquo;We do the training camps, we train together, we push each other. We are a good team. We do a lot of activities together; we are like sisters.&rdquo;
Hervas, who anchored Spain to victory and a national record in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m, believes team spirit is key to their rise, with the relay squads coming together several times each year for training camps, working on exchanges but also sharing ideas and feeding off each other.
&ldquo;Obviously, 99% of our work is at home with our coaches, but then getting together and having that really good relationship &ndash; we&rsquo;re in touch the whole year,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;That helps us share our goals.&rdquo;
Santidrian ran the second leg for the women&rsquo;s 4x400m team, splitting their fastest leg of 50.58, and she believes there&rsquo;s more to success than a collection of strong individuals.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The best thing we have is that we&rsquo;re really close friends and I feel like that makes us run all together so if one of us gets better, all of us get better.&rdquo; She said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re young and we&rsquo;re growing together. Also, our national coaches are helping with a lot of training camps.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6824a8b37036f914f175558a.jpg" alt="Blanca Hervas anchors Spain to women's 4x400m victory in Guangzhou" />
Blanca Hervas anchors Spain to women's 4x400m victory in Guangzhou (&copy; AFP / Getty Images)
</div>
Spain had only ever reached one global championships final in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m &ndash; in 1991 &ndash; and their time of 3:27.57 from that race stood as the national record until last year, when it was broken at the World Relays. They hadn&rsquo;t sent a women&rsquo;s 4x400m team to the Olympics between 1996 and 2021, or the World Championships between 2003 and 2019. But their current success owes much to a seed that was planted a long time ago, then nurtured with investment and a focus on strengthening relay teams.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Basically, it&rsquo;s a lot of work that we started eight, nine years ago,&rdquo; said Jose Peiro Guixot, the national coach with the Spanish athletics federation (RFEA). &ldquo;Thanks to that (investment), we can improve everything and we hope to still have this investment in the relays to continue improving. We created a national relay plan and started to work with all the teams and, slowly, we started to revive things. We&rsquo;re not at the finish line. Despite the success today, we don&rsquo;t want to stop. We want to continue working.&rdquo;
He said the team &ldquo;dreamt of two gold medals&rdquo; in Guangzhou but added that the return of one first place and one second place &ndash; leaving them third overall behind South Africa and USA &ndash; was a &ldquo;very good result&rdquo;.
Andoni Calbano was part of a youthful Spanish quartet that competed in an additional mixed 4x100m race on Sunday and he said the performances of the women in Guangzhou were &ldquo;very inspiring&rdquo; for the entire team.&nbsp;
&ldquo;How they work, how their attitude is for the competition, everything they say,&rdquo; he explained. &ldquo;Individually, we are not the best (nation) so the changes must be good, and you can see that in the women&rsquo;s 4x1 &ndash; they did it perfectly.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6820ddd9d204d2dd6391ad08.jpg" alt="Great Britain wins the 4x100m final at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou" />
Great Britain wins the 4x100m final from Spain and Jamaica at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
Perez took the baton in front in the women&rsquo;s 4x100m final and while she was passed by British anchor Success Eduan, she held off the formidable challenge of Jamaica&rsquo;s Jackson and USA&rsquo;s Twanisha Terry to claim a memorable second place.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I felt very nervous when I could see the other team is so close,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I was very stressed, and I just told myself to run faster and faster.&rdquo;
Even better was to come in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m final, where the team nicknamed the &lsquo;Golden Bubbles&rsquo; in Spain powered to victory, anchored by a superb 50.59 second leg from Hervas.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Myself and all of them never felt like this before,&rdquo; said Hervas. &ldquo;We are crazy excited: gold medal, World Relays champion, national record, everything. It&rsquo;s my biggest dream. To our coaches, to our families, thank you for everything. This is their medal, too.&rdquo;
It marked a magnificent end to an unforgettable weekend for Spain, and in terms of their rise in relays, it might only be the beginning.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Our mind is always thinking about the Olympics, so our first goal is to get as many teams as possible at the Olympics,&rdquo; said Peiro, the national coach. &ldquo;After that, (it&rsquo;s to) have as many teams as possible in the Olympic finals. After that, after what we have seen today, why not dream of medals?&rdquo;
Cathal Dennehy for World Athletics

World Athletics Relays

Spain mixed it with the superpowers at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

Spain's rise in the relays on show in Guangzhou

Sprint stars Letsile Tebogo and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce are among the 45 reigning world and Olympic medallists who will compete at the Jetour Doha Meeting &ndash; the third leg of this year&rsquo;s Wanda Diamond League series &ndash; on Friday (16).
After racing the 100m at the Diamond League meetings in Xiamen and Shanghai/Keqiao, Botswana&rsquo;s Tebogo will step back up to his favoured distance in Doha. The world athlete of the year won Olympic 200m gold and 4x400m silver in Paris last year and dipped under 20 seconds in nine 200m races in 2024. He will be looking to break that barrier for the first time this year when he makes his Doha Diamond League debut.
&ldquo;Last year was tough both emotionally and physically but I&rsquo;m excited to compete and to see how the season develops,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be a very long season, but I&rsquo;m more experienced and mature and I&rsquo;m ready to push my body to its limits and make every moment count.&rdquo;
Challenging him in Doha will be Canada&rsquo;s Aaron Brown and US athletes Courtney Lindsey and Kyree King, who all competed at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou last weekend, plus South Africa&rsquo;s Olympic relay silver medallist Shaun Maswanganyi.
The Jamaican quartet of Fraser-Pryce, Natasha Morrison, Tia Clayton and Tina Clayton also ran at the World Relays and return to individual action in the 100m in Doha. Multiple Olympic and world gold medallist Fraser-Pryce is among the stars making their Diamond League season debuts at the Qatar Sports Club, in what is set to be her final year of competition. They will line up alongside two-time world indoor 60m champion Mujinga Kambundji.
The 400m will pit two-time world medallist Sada Williams against Natalia Bukowiecka, Lieke Klaver and Salwa Eid Naser, while the 400m hurdles features Carl Bengtstrom, who was third in Shanghai/Keqiao, plus CJ Allen and Malik James-King. The 110m hurdles includes a clash of Olympic medallists, as Daniel Roberts and Rasheed Broadbell renew their rivalry.
In the high jump, New Zealand&rsquo;s Hamish Kerr and Jamaica&rsquo;s Raymond Richards will compete again after respectively claiming silver and bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing in March. The entry list also includes home favourite Mutaz Barshim &ndash; Kerr's predecessor as Olympic champion &ndash; although Barshim did not compete at his own What Gravity Challenge meeting in Doha last week and he may also miss this Diamond League event as he continues to work towards a return later this season. Contenders also include Japan&rsquo;s Ryoichi Akamatsu, who like Richards cleared 2.26m at the What Gravity Challenge.
Doha has hosted many thrilling javelin contests in recent years and the 2025 meeting looks set to offer another. Czechia&rsquo;s Jakub Vadlejch had been the runner-up in Doha the previous two years but in 2024 he beat defending champion Neeraj Chopra by just two centimetres to clinch victory and they both return this year. Vadlejch is a multiple world and Olympic medallist, while India&rsquo;s Chopra is the world and Tokyo Olympic champion, and in Doha they will take on Olympic bronze medallist Anderson Peters, Keshorn Walcott, Julian Weber and Julius Yego.
Big clashes are also on the cards in the discus and pole vault. In the discus, Australia&rsquo;s Olympic bronze medallist Matt Denny &ndash; who moved to second on the world all-time list with his 74.78m throw in Ramona in April &ndash; will compete against Sweden&rsquo;s two-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Daniel Stahl plus Slovenia&rsquo;s 2022 world champion Kristjan Ceh, who won in Doha in both 2023 and 2024.
Two Paris Olympic medallists go head-to-head in the pole vault, too, as USA&rsquo;s Katie Moon and Canada&rsquo;s Alysha Newman compete again, joined by Great Britain&rsquo;s 2024 world indoor champion Molly Caudery &ndash; the 2024 winner in Doha &ndash; and USA&rsquo;s Sandi Morris.
Olympic champion Thea LaFond and Olympic silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts will clash in a triple jump field that also features world long jump champion Ivana Spanovic, testing herself in the triple jump for the first time since 2022.
The full Paris Olympic podium will meet in the 3000m steeplechase &ndash; Bahrain&rsquo;s gold medallist Winfred Yavi taking on Uganda&rsquo;s Peruth Chemutai and Kenya&rsquo;s Faith Cherotich in a contest that also includes World Athletics Rising Star award winner Sembo Almayew, who finished fifth in Paris.
The top two from Shanghai/Keqiao &ndash; Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi and Kuma Girma &ndash; go in the 5000m against Dominic Lobalu, who finished fourth at the Olympics. The 800m stars another Olympic fourth-place finisher in Bryce Hoppel, as he races Tshepiso Masalela, Slimane Moula and Andreas Kramer. Olympic and world indoor finalist Susan Ejore races her Kenyan compatriot Nelly Chepchirchir plus Adelle Tracey and Jemma Reekie in the 1500m.

Sprint stars Letsile Tebogo and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce are among the 45 reigning world and Olympic medallists who will compete in the Diamond League meeting on Friday

Tebogo and Fraser-Pryce among the many major medallists ready to descend on Doha

A total of 49 titles will be won at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 over nine thrilling days of competition from 13-21 September 2025.
For many athletes, the journey in Japan&rsquo;s capital will begin with qualification rounds and heats &ndash; but when will the leading athletes be going for gold?
Here&rsquo;s a breakdown of when the finals for every event will take place.
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/100-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 100m final: Sunday 14 September, 10:13pm JST Men&rsquo;s 100m final: Sunday 14 September, 10:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/200-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">200 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 200m final: Friday 19 September, 10:22pm JST Men&rsquo;s 200m final: Friday 19 September, 10:06pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/sprints/400-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">400 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 400m final: Thursday 18 September, 10:24pm JST Men&rsquo;s 400m final: Thursday 18 September, 10:10pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/800-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">800 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 800m final: Sunday 21 September, 7:35pm JST Men&rsquo;s 800m final: Saturday 20 September, 9:50pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/1500-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1500 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 1500m final: Tuesday 16 September, 10:05pm JST Men&rsquo;s 1500m final: Wednesday 17 September, 10:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/5000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5000 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 5000m final: Saturday 20 September, 10:05pm JST Men&rsquo;s 5000m final: Sunday 21 September, 7:50pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/10000-metres" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10,000 metres</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 10,000m final: Saturday 13 September, 9:30pm JST Men&rsquo;s 10,000m final: Sunday 14 September, 9:30pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/road-running/marathon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marathon</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s marathon: Sunday 14 September, 8:00am JST Men&rsquo;s marathon: Monday 15 September, 8:00am JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/middlelong/3000-metres-steeplechase" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3000 metres steeplechase</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase final: Wednesday 17 September, 9:57pm JST Men&rsquo;s 3000m steeplechase final: Monday 15 September, 9:55pm JST
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6824bc8c0f338cb6e9bb5cb2.jpg" alt="Men's steeplechase action at the World Athletics Championships" />
Men's steeplechase action at the World Athletics Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
</div>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/100-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 metres hurdles</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 100m hurdles final: Monday 15 September, 10:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/110-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">110 metres hurdles</a></h3>
Men&rsquo;s 110m hurdles final: Tuesday 16 September, 10:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/hurdles/400-metres-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">400 metres hurdles</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles final: Friday 19 September, 9:27pm JST Men&rsquo;s 400m hurdles final: Friday 19 September, 9:15pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/combined-events/heptathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heptathlon</a></h3>
Final discipline of the women&rsquo;s heptathlon: 800m &ndash; Saturday 20 September, 9:06pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/combined-events/decathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Decathlon</a></h3>
Final discipline of the men&rsquo;s decathlon: 1500m &ndash; Sunday 21 September, 8:55pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/high-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">High jump</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s high jump final: Sunday 21 September, 7:30pm JST Men&rsquo;s high jump final: Tuesday 16 September, 8:35pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/pole-vault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pole vault</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s pole vault final: Wednesday 17 September, 8:10pm JST Men&rsquo;s pole vault final: Monday 15 September, 8:10pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/long-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Long jump</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s long jump final: Sunday 14 September, 8:40pm JST Men&rsquo;s long jump final: Wednesday 17 September, 8:50pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/jumps/triple-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Triple jump</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s triple jump final: Thursday 18 September, 8:55pm JST Men&rsquo;s triple jump final: Friday 19 September, 8:50pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/shot-put" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shot put</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s shot put final: Saturday 20 September, 7:56pm JST Men&rsquo;s shot put final: Saturday 13 September, 9:10pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/discus-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Discus throw</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s discus final: Sunday 14 September, 7:10pm JST Men&rsquo;s discus final: Sunday 21 September, 8:00pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/hammer-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hammer throw</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s hammer final: Monday 15 September, 9:00pm JST Men&rsquo;s hammer final: Tuesday 16 September, 9:00pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/throws/javelin-throw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Javelin throw</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s javelin final: Saturday 20 September, 9:10pm JST Men&rsquo;s javelin final: Thursday 18 September, 7:23pm JST
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6824bb0a246043b53db03e89.JPG" alt="Haruka Kitaguchi at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23" />
Haruka Kitaguchi at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 (&copy; Giorgos Foteinakis for World Athletics)
</div>
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/race-walks/20-kilometres-race-walk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 kilometres race walk</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 20km race walk: Saturday 20 September, 7:30am JST Men&rsquo;s 20km race walk: Saturday 20 September, 9:45am JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/race-walks/35-kilometres-race-walk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">35 kilometres race walk</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 35km race walk: Saturday 13 September, 8:00am JST Men&rsquo;s 35km race walk: Saturday 13 September, 8:00am JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x100-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x100 metres relay</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 4x100m final: Sunday 21 September, 9:10pm JST Men&rsquo;s 4x100m final: Sunday 21 September, 9:20pm JST
<h3><a href="https://worldathletics.org/disciplines/relays/4x400-metres-relay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x400 metres relay</a></h3>
Women&rsquo;s 4x400m final: Sunday 21 September, 8:40pm JST Men&rsquo;s 4x400m final: Sunday 21 September, 8:25pm JST Mixed 4x400m final: Saturday 13 September, 10:20pm JST
&nbsp;
Times stated are local time, JST (Japan Standard Time), and are subject to change. The latest timetable information is available on the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/timetable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WCH Tokyo 25 website</a>
&nbsp;

Find out when will the leading athletes be going for gold in Tokyo

Focus on finals at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

With breathtaking baton exchanges, lightning-fast anchor legs, and edge-of-your-seat finishes, the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25&nbsp;delivered everything we could have hoped for.
We asked you to decide &ndash; and&nbsp;South Africa has been voted the best team at the World Relays!
The options were:
🏆 Spanish women's team Surprising everyone, the 4x400m team took the win with a national record, while the 4x100m team came second in the final, having set a national record of 42.18 in the heats. Paula Sevilla ran in both relays, with just 20 minutes between them.
🔥 South Africa team They won both men&rsquo;s relay finals (4x100m and 4x400m) and placed third in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m.
⚡ USA's mixed 4x400m team USA smashed the championship record and are cruising towards defending their title at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 this September.
&nbsp;

There couldn’t have been a better way to end the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25.

South Africa voted best team at the World Relays

A further 30 teams have qualified for relay events at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 following the final day of action at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 on Sunday (11).
Six teams in each of the women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s 4x100m and 4x400m plus the mixed 4x400m booked their places for Tokyo on day two. The&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/press-releases/first-40-relay-teams-qualified-wch-tokyo-25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first 40 qualified teams were confirmed on Saturday</a>&nbsp;and the final 30 on Sunday, following a second World Championships qualifying round for teams that missed out on day one.
Teams that qualified on Saturday also progressed to their respective World Relays finals in Guangzhou, when they raced for prize money and preferential World Championships lane seeding positions.
Four federations &ndash; Belgium, France, Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland and USA &ndash; each qualified a full five teams for Tokyo, while another five &ndash; Canada, China, Germany, Italy and Poland &ndash; qualified four each.
USA set a championship record of 3:09.54 to win the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x400m-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixed 4x400m</a>, while Spain&rsquo;s athletes stormed to another national record to win the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x400m-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women&rsquo;s 4x400m</a> in 3:24.13. South Africa won the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x400m-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">men&rsquo;s 4x400m</a> in a world lead of 2:57.50, while the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x100m-finals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4x100m</a> crowns were claimed by Great Britain &amp; NI for the women in 42.21 and South Africa for the men in a world lead of 37.61.
The <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x100m-finals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixed 4x100m</a> also made its global debut in Guangzhou and Canada claimed the inaugural World Relays crown, winning the final in 40.30.
While most of the relay tickets for Tokyo have now been secured, teams that missed out in Guangzhou do still have a chance to qualify. A further two World Championships places in each of the five disciplines will be awarded based on top lists during the qualification period (25 February 2024 to 24 August 2025).
<h3>The full 70 teams qualified for WCH Tokyo 25 in Guangzhou</h3>
Women&rsquo;s 4x100m Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Great Britain &amp; NI, Italy, Jamaica, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United States
Men&rsquo;s 4x100m Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain &amp; NI, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Poland, South Africa, United States
Women&rsquo;s 4x400m Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain &amp; NI, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United States
Men&rsquo;s 4x400m Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, China, France, Great Britain &amp; NI, Jamaica, Kenya, Netherlands, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, United States
Mixed 4x400m Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain &amp; NI, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Poland, South Africa, Spain, United States
World Athletics

A further 30 teams have qualified for relay events at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 following the final day of action at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

WCH Tokyo 25 relay fields take shape at World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

The USA chopped more than a second off the championship record they set last year, winning the mixed 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 in 3:09.54.
It was redemption of sorts for the world record-holders, who missed out on gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, but here in Guangzhou their dominance was on full display as they won by almost three seconds.
The race was close at the half-way point with Australia and Kenya both contending for the lead alongside the USA. But a 44.16 effort from Johnnie Blockburger on the third leg gave the USA a comfortable lead ahead of Australia and Kenya.
Lynna Irby-Jackson, a regular fixture on USA&rsquo;s relay teams in recent years, extended the lead on the final leg with a stunning 49.53 split, crossing the line in 3:09.54, the eighth-fastest performance in history.
Australia finished second in an Oceanian record of 3:12.20 and Kenya held on to third place in 3:13.10 ahead of world and Olympic medallists Great Britain &amp; NI (3:14.74).
Earlier in the session, Spain and Italy won their respective heats in the second World Championships qualifying round.
Host nation China got off to a terrific start in the first heat with an opening leg of 44.91 from Liang Baotang. Germany, Jamaica and Spain were all in close contention on the following legs until Spain&rsquo;s Blanca Hervas pulled clear on the final stage to win for Spain in a national record of 3:12.55. Germany (3:13.35) and China (3:13.39) claimed the other World Championship qualifying spots, the latter with a national record.
The second heat was a three-way tussle between Italy, France and Canada. Less than half a second separated the three nations at the end as they claimed the coveted top three spots, Italy winning in 3:12.53 ahead of France (3:12.66) and Canada, who set a national record of 3:12.95.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships</h3>
Round 1 qualifiers: USA (3:09.54), Australia (3:12.20), Kenya (3:13.10), Great Britain &amp; NI (3:14.74), South Africa (3:16.29), Belgium (3:16.45), Poland (3:16.48), Ireland (3:19.64). Round 2 qualifiers: Italy (3:12.53), Spain (3:12.55), France (3:12.66), Canada (3:12.95), Germany (3:13.35), PR of China (3:13.39).
<h2> South Africa gains revenge in men&rsquo;s 4x400m</h2>
Less than half an hour after winning the men&rsquo;s 4x100m, South Africa notched up another victory, this time in the men&rsquo;s 4x400m.
With memories still fresh of the men&rsquo;s 4x400m at last year&rsquo;s World Relays, South Africa went into Sunday&rsquo;s final keen to avenge the defeat they suffered on that occasion at the hands of Botswana. Lee Bhekempilo Eppie gave Botswana an early lead on the first leg, handing over just ahead of Great Britain &amp; NI.
By the half-way point, Botswana continued to lead but South Africa was close behind in second, thanks to a 44.24 leg from Udeme Okon. Leendert Koekemoer maintained South Africa&rsquo;s pace on the third leg with an almost identical 44.23, which carried them into the lead towards the end of that stage with Botswana close behind.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6820be97374a1ec37f73008a.jpg" alt="South Africa leads the men's 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25" />
South Africa leads the men's 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 (&copy; Getty Images for World Athletics)
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Zakithi Nene then pulled clear on the last leg for South Africa and powered through the line in 2:57.50, smashing the national record they set when finishing fifth in the Olympic final last year. Behind him, 2024 world indoor champion Alexander Doom had navigated his way through the field with a late charge, taking second place in 2:58.19 while Botswana held on for third in 2:58.27.
France, the world silver medallists, placed fourth in 2:58.80 and Kenya took fifth place in a national record of 2:59.29, assisted by a 43.59 leg by Boniface Mweresa. It was the first time outside of World Championships or Olympics that five teams had broken 3:00 in one race &ndash; and that was without the USA being in it.
As was the case last year, the USA had to race in the &lsquo;round two&rsquo; heats to try to secure their place at the World Championships. They managed to do that successfully, breaking free from an early challenge from Australia before going on to win by a second in 2:58.68. Australia finished second in 2:59.73, just 0.03 outside the national record set at the 1984 Olympics. Qatar secured the third World Championships qualifying place in that heat in a national record of 3:00.29.
The first heat in round two was a lot closer. The Netherlands managed to pull clear on the third leg, but Brazil reeled them back in the closing stages to win in 3:01.14. Netherlands held on to second (3:01.32) while Jamaica took the third qualifying spot (3:02.00).
<h3>Qualified for World Championships</h3>
Round 1 qualifiers: South Africa (2:57.50), Belgium (2:58.19), Botswana (2:58.27), France (2:58.80), Kenya (2:59.29), Great Britain &amp; NI (3:03.46), Portugal (3:04.52), PR of China (3:06.33). Round 2 qualifiers: USA (2:58.68), Australia (2:59.73), Qatar (3:00.29), Brazil (3:01.14), Netherlands (3:01.32), Jamaica (3:02.00).
<h2> Spain reigns in women&rsquo;s 4x400m</h2>
Of all of the surprising performances by the Spanish team in Guangzhou &ndash; and there were several &ndash; their victory in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m final was perhaps the most unexpected.
For context, Spain has only ever reached one global championships final in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m, and that was back in 1991. Their time of 3:27.57 from that race stood as the Spanish record up until last year when it was broken at the World Relays. And they hadn&rsquo;t sent women&rsquo;s 4x400m teams to the Olympics between 1996 and 2021, or the World Championships between 2003 and 2019.
Today in Guangzhou, though, Spain toppled the mighty USA to claim the women&rsquo;s 4x400m crown at the World Relays.
They did so with a stunning performance, smashing their national record by a second to win in 3:24.13.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6820becc374a1ec37f73008d.jpg" alt="The Spanish team after winning the women's 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25" />
The Spanish team after winning the women's 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 (&copy; Getty Images for World Athletics)
</div>
Paula Sevilla got the team off to a strong start with an opening leg of 51.84. Karimah Davis responded on the second leg with 50.03 to put the USA in the lead, but Spain were never far behind, nor were South Africa.
Daniela Fra regained the lead for Spain towards the end of the third leg, only for USA&rsquo;s Bailey Lear to kick back at the start of the anchor leg. But just when it seemed as though Lear would coast to a predicted victory for USA, Spain&rsquo;s Blanca Hervas &ndash; contesting her second race of the evening after competing in the mixed 4x400m earlier in the session &ndash; came storming down the home straight to pull clear and take the win in 3:24.13.
USA finished second in 3:24.72 while South Africa was close behind in third, setting a national record of 3:24.84. There was also a national record for Norway in fourth, helped by a 49.71 anchor from Henriette Jaeger.
The times achieved by the nations in the second World Championships qualifying round would have been competitive in the main final, but instead they had to compete for their places in Tokyo after missing out on automatic places in yesterday&rsquo;s first round.
Belgium, Poland and Great Britain &amp; NI were locked in battle for most of the way in the first heat. Britain&rsquo;s Nicole Yeargin managed to hold off strong challenges from Belgium&rsquo;s Helene Ponette and Poland&rsquo;s Natalia Bukowiecka to win in 3:24.46 ahead of Belgium (3:24.52) and Poland (3:24.56).
In the second heat, Ireland and Australia exchanged leads several times, but Sharlene Mawdsley eventually managed to pull clear on the final leg to win for Ireland in 3:24.69. Australia (3:27.31) and Switzerland (3:32.37) took the other two qualifying spots.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships</h3>
Round 1 qualifiers: Spain (3:24.13), USA (3:24.72), South Africa (3:24.84), Norway (3:25.35), Italy (3:26.40), France (3:26.87), Canada (3:27.84), Germany (3:29.65). Round 2 qualifiers: Great Britain &amp; NI (3:24.46), Belgium (3:24.52), Poland (3:24.56), Ireland (3:24.69), Australia (3:27.31), Switzerland (3:32.37).
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

The USA chopped more than a second off the championship record they set last year, winning the mixed 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 in 3:09.54

USA, Spain and South Africa claim 4x400m titles in Guangzhou

South Africa proved they will be a powerful force at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as they stormed to the men&rsquo;s 4x100m title at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 on Sunday (11).
Great Britain &amp; NI won a thrilling women&rsquo;s 4x100m final, holding off surprise package Spain, while Canada made history by winning the inaugural World Relays mixed 4x100m crown. Earlier in the session, another 12 teams qualified for the 4x100m events at the World Championships in Tokyo, including China in both the women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s events, much to the delight of the passionate and vocal home crowd at the Tianhe Sports Centre stadium.
Ahead of the competition, South African sprint star Akani Simbine had expressed how <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/feature/akani-simbine-relay-4x100m-guangzhou" target="_blank" rel="noopener">camaraderie is the key when it comes to relay success</a>. His squad&rsquo;s team spirit was on show in Guangzhou again on Sunday evening, as the world indoor 60m bronze medallist combined with Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile and Bradley Nkoana to run a world lead of 37.61 &ndash; just 0.04 off the African record South Africa set when securing Olympic silver in Paris.
They denied USA by just 0.05, with Olympic champions Canada finishing third this time in 38.11.
The 19-year-old Walaza, who claimed 100m and 200m gold at the World U20 Championships in Lima last year, got things started for South Africa &ndash; up against Courtney Lindsey for USA, Aaron Brown for Canada and Naoki Okami for Japan.
Walaza handed over to Dambile and Brown to Jerome Blake, while two-time Olympic and world 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek took over for USA.
Nkoana and Kyree King ran the third legs for South Africa and USA, respectively, and let go of the batons at the same time &ndash; leaving the race down to Simbine and Brandon Hicklin. While Simbine seemed a fraction back as they approached the finish line, he timed his lean to perfection.
Brendon Rodney and Andre De Grasse completed Canada&rsquo;s full Olympic title-winning team in Guangzhou and De Grasse chased the top two over the finish line to secure third place ahead of Japan.
"Once I got the baton and I saw that USA was in front of us, I just said to myself, 'I need to catch the guy in front'," said Simbine. "I knew I could do it, and I just chased him. I feed from chasing, I feed from being able to chase. So it's really great to be able to be in that position and get through it and get to the line first."
Earlier in the evening, China ran the leading time in the second qualifying round for World Championships places. Shi Junhao, Zeng Keli, Wang Shengjie and He Jinxian claimed a heat three win in 38.03 ahead of Australia, with world indoor 60m silver medallist Lachlan Kennedy on the first leg, and they both achieved qualification for Tokyo.
They will be joined at the World Championships by France and Ghana, who respectively clocked 38.31 and 38.32 in a thrillingly close first heat, and Belgium and Kenya, who were also locked in an intense battle in the second heat &ndash; Belgium winning in a national record of 38.49 to Kenya&rsquo;s 38.51. There was another record for Korea as the team ran 38.51 and they were the fastest to not qualify.
The qualification dreams of Jamaica also came to a devastating end as the team was unable to get the baton around for the second time this weekend. After a failed changeover on day one, this time Julian Forte pulled up before he could hand the stick to Yohan Blake and Forte later left the track in a wheelchair. They will now hope to qualify by achieving a leading time in the world top lists during the qualification period.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships</h3>
Round 1 qualifiers: South Africa (37.84), Japan (37.84), United States (37.86), Canada (38.15), Italy (38.16), Great Britain &amp; NI (38.18), Germany (38.33), Poland (38.43). Round 2 qualifiers: China (38.03), Australia (38.31), France (38.31), Ghana (38.32), Belgium (38.49), Kenya (38.51). 
<h2>GB wins as Spain springs surprise</h2>
Success Eduan lived up to her name as she ran a blistering leg to anchor Great Britain and NI to victory in the women&rsquo;s 4x100m final.
The 20-year-old received the baton just behind Spain&rsquo;s Maria Isabel Perez and Jamaica&rsquo;s Shericka Jackson, but she overpowered them both and also held off USA&rsquo;s Olympic 4x100m champion Twanisha Terry to take the title.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6820ddd9d204d2dd6391ad08.jpg" alt="Great Britain wins the 4x100m final at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou" />
Great Britain wins the 4x100m final at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou (&copy; Getty Images)
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Nia Wedderburn-Goodison got a solid start and handed over to Amy Hunt, part of Great Britain&rsquo;s Olympic silver medal-winning team in Paris. Bianca Williams, who ran in the heats in Paris, took over for the third leg, before passing the baton to Eduan, making her senior international debut.
Perez took off in the lead, having been put in a great position by her teammates Esperanca Cladera, Jael Bestue and Paula Sevilla, who also ran in the victorious women's 4x400m team. One day after setting a national record of 42.18 to lead the heats, that same quartet clocked 42.28 to secure the runner-up spot ahead of Jamaica.
That Jamaican team also included Natasha Morrison, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Tina Clayton, and together they ran 42.33 for third place ahead of USA. Canada &ndash; with Sade McCreath and Marie-Eloise Leclair who formed part of the winning mixed 4x100m team earlier in the evening &ndash; ran a national record of 42.46 to finish fifth.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t even know what happened &ndash; I just went past them. That is all I did," said&nbsp;Eduan. "We have worked hard for this. I was just so confident in these girls and what we are here for. I have a winning mentality, and I was always going to go for the gold."
The early session action had also seen China delight the home crowd by cruising to the quickest women&rsquo;s 4x100m time in the second qualifying round for World Championships places. Chen Yujie, Li Yuting, Zhu Junying and Ge Manqi clocked 43.03 to win the second heat ahead of Switzerland (43.35) and Poland (43.38) and they all secured their spots for the World Championships. They will not be joined by Australia, however, as the team &ndash; the fastest non qualifiers in Saturday&rsquo;s heats &ndash; struggled on the final changeover and couldn&rsquo;t recover, eventually being disqualified.
Emotions were at the other end of the spectrum for Chile, as the quartet of Anais Hernandez, Maria Ignancia Montt, Isidora Jimenez and Antonia Belen Ramirez followed their national record-breaking performance on Saturday by qualifying a women&rsquo;s 4x100m team for the World Athletics Championships for the first time in history.
After running 43.64 on day one, they were just a tenth of a second slower in the first heat on day two and finished third behind France and Italy to all secure their tickets for Tokyo. Chloe Galet managed to narrowly hold off Alessia Pavese to clinch top spot for France &ndash; 43.06 to 43.12.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships</h3>
Round 1 qualifiers:&nbsp;Spain (42.18), Jamaica (42.51), Belgium (42.80), United States (42.86), Great Britain &amp; NI (42.92), Germany (42.98), Canada (43.11), Netherlands (43.13). Round 2 qualifiers: China (43.03), France (43.06), Italy (43.12), Switzerland (43.35), Poland (43.38), Chile (43.74). 
<h2>Inaugural mixed title for Canada</h2>
The mixed 4x100m had its global debut in Guangzhou and the Canadian quartet of Sade McCreath, Marie-Eloise Leclair, Duan Asemota and Eliezer Adjibi made the most of the opportunity. They combined to clock 40.30, Adjibi holding off Jamaica&rsquo;s anchor Bryan Levell who brought his team home in 40.44. Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland finished third in 40.88.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6820909f5659d7622224f0dc.jpg" alt="Eliezer Adjibi anchors Canada to the mixed 4x100m title in Guangzhou" />
Eliezer Adjibi anchors Canada to the mixed 4x100m title in Guangzhou (&copy; World Athletics)
</div>
Canada, Australia and Jamaica got the strongest starts and as McCreath handed over to Leclair, Australia&rsquo;s Olivia Dodds passed the baton to Carla Bull and Jamaica&rsquo;s Krystal Sloley took over from Serena Cole.
The third changeover, from woman to man, went smoothly and Great Britain were well in the mix as Jeriel Quinoo ran the third leg, up against Asemota for Canada and Javari Thomas for Jamaica.
Canada&rsquo;s final changeover was not quite as slick as Jamaica&rsquo;s, but Adjibi got away quicker and Jamaica&rsquo;s Bryan Levell had no response. As Adjibi celebrated victory, he was followed by Levell and Joe Ferguson, who anchored Great Britain to third place ahead of Australia.
A day after a baton exchange mishap put paid to their hopes of making the mixed 4x100m final, USA won the earlier additional race on Sunday in 40.78 &ndash; faster than all the times <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x100m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">achieved in the heats on Saturday</a>.
That fumble came on the second changeover &ndash; during the woman to man baton exchange between Jada Mowatt and Kendal Williams. They both returned to the track for the additional race and there were no problems this time as they combined with Cambrea Sturgis and Pjai Austin to win, Austin narrowly holding off Germany&rsquo;s anchor, Julian Wagner, who finished in 40.84.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics

South Africa proved they will be a powerful force at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as they stormed to the men’s 4x100m title at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25

South Africa, Great Britain and Canada claim 4x100m crowns in Guangzhou

The first eight teams to have qualified for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 in five of the events being contested at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 have been confirmed following the opening day of competition.
A total of 14 teams in each of the women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s 4x100m and 4x400m plus the mixed 4x400m in Guangzhou this weekend (10-11 May) automatically qualify for places at the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
In the men&rsquo;s 4x100m and men&rsquo;s 4x400m, the top two teams in each of the four heats per event secured spots for their respective World Relays finals on Sunday, while also booking their tickets for Tokyo. In the women&rsquo;s 4x100m, women&rsquo;s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m, the first two teams in each of the three heats plus the two teams with the next fastest times all qualified.
Three federations &ndash; Great Britain &amp; Northern Ireland, South Africa and USA &ndash; each qualified four teams for Tokyo.
The session started with the heats of the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x100m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixed 4x100m</a>, making its global debut in Guangzhou, and was followed by the first World Championships qualifiers in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x400m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixed 4x400m</a>. USA lived up to their status as the favourites, winning their heat by more than a second to secure their place in Tokyo.
USA also led the first round in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x400m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women&rsquo;s 4x400m</a>, while South Africa topped the list in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x400m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">men&rsquo;s 4x400m</a>. Spain surprised in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x100m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women&rsquo;s 4x100m</a>, running a national record, while South Africa and Japan ran the same world-leading time to win their <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/guangzhou25/news/report/guangzhou-25-report-4x100m-heats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">men&rsquo;s 4x100m</a> heats.
In the finals on Sunday, teams will compete for prize money and preferential World Championships lane seeding positions. All other teams will race in the additional round to attempt to qualify for Tokyo.
Following the qualification of 14 teams per event in Guangzhou, the remaining two places for Tokyo in each will be awarded based on top lists during the qualification period (25 February 2024 to 24 August 2025).
<h3>Teams qualified for Tokyo and competing in the finals on Sunday</h3>
Women&rsquo;s 4x100m Belgium, Canada, Germany, Great Britain &amp; NI, Jamaica, Netherlands, Spain, United States
Men&rsquo;s 4x100m Canada, Italy, Germany, Great Britain &amp; NI, Japan, Poland, South Africa, United States
Women&rsquo;s 4x400m Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, South Africa, Spain, United States
Men&rsquo;s 4x400m Belgium, Botswana, China, France, Great Britain &amp; NI, Kenya, Portugal, South Africa
Mixed 4x400m Australia, Belgium, Great Britain &amp; NI, Ireland, Kenya, Poland, South Africa, United States
World Athletics

The World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 is the main qualifying competition for relay events at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

First 40 relay teams qualified for WCH Tokyo 25

Nine months on from winning all three 4x400m relays at the Olympic Games, relays superpower USA couldn't quite match that feat in the heats at the&nbsp;World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25.
They were still one of the most outstanding nations in action on the first evening of the competition, winning their heats in the women's and mixed 4x400m with the fastest times of the day, but their luck ran out in the men's 4x400m as they failed to qualify for the final.
USA lived up to their status as the favourites in the mixed relay, winning their heat by more than a second to secure their place at the World Championships.
It was only in the second half of their heat, though, that the world record-holders started to pull away. After a relatively even start, Poland pulled ahead on the second leg, thanks to Olympic bronze medallist Natalia Bukowiecka. USA&rsquo;s Courtney Okolo and Ireland&rsquo;s Rhasidat Adeleke were close behind, but Chris Robinson put the US in the lead on the third leg before handing over to anchor leg runner Lynna Irby-Jackson, who brought the team home in 3:11.37 &ndash; the fastest ever heat time at the World Relays.
Ireland&rsquo;s Sharlene Mawdsley overtook Poland&rsquo;s Justyna Swiety-Ersectic to claim the all-important second place in 3:12.56. Poland&rsquo;s time in third (3:12.70) proved to be enough to advance to tomorrow&rsquo;s final.
The other two heats were much closer. In the first heat, Belgium and Australia exchanged leads several times before Helena Ponette pulled away from Alanah Yukich on the final leg to win for Belgium in 3:11.83 ahead of Australia, whose 3:12.34 clocking was an Oceanian record. Kenya&rsquo;s 3:13.41 run in third was enough to advance to the final on time.
There were similar scenes &ndash; and exactly the same winning margin (0.51) &ndash; in the third and final heat, this time between Olympic bronze medallists Great Britain and South Africa.
The two teams went into the final leg level. Britain&rsquo;s Nicole Yeargin had the better position on the inside of the lane while South Africa&rsquo;s Zeney van der Walt was on Yeargin&rsquo;s outside. They were still level up until the final bend, then Yeargin pulled clear to win in 3:13.28. South Africa held on for second place, while Spain finished third and missed out on a place in the final.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships and progressing to World Relays mixed 4x400m final</h3>
Ht 1: Belgium (3:11.83), Australia (3:12.34), Kenya (3:13.41) Ht 2: USA (3:11.37), Ireland (3:12.56), Poland (3:12.70) Ht 3: Great Britain &amp; NI (3:13.28), South Africa (3:13.79)
<h2> USA and Spain the standouts in women&rsquo;s 4x400m heats</h2>
The main themes of the day &ndash; easy automatic qualification for the USA and a surprising performance from Spain &ndash; continued in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m heats.
It wasn&rsquo;t the strongest of starts for the USA, though, as they were in seventh place after the first leg. But a solid effort of 50.56 from Karimah Davis on the second leg gave USA the lead at half way ahead of Norway and France.
Australia and Canada&nbsp; moved into second and third respectively on the third leg as USA&rsquo;s lead came under threat, but the Olympic champions pulled clear again on the final leg, thanks to a 50.47 run from Bailey Lear, giving the USA victory in 3:26.05.
Louise Maraval moved into second for France (3:26.46), holding off a storming 49.79 effort from Norway&rsquo;s Henriette Jaeger, whose final time of 3:26.61 was enough for Norway to advance to the final, as was Canada&rsquo;s 3:27.28 in fourth.
Spain produced a gun-to-tape victory in the second heat. Belgium, Italy and Great Britain all tried their best to make inroads on Spain&rsquo;s early lead, but they could not be caught and ultimately won with a comfortable margin, clocking 3:26.25.
Italy claimed second place in 3:27.03 ahead of Britain. Despite utilising four of the eight squad members that earned Olympic bronze last year, Britain&rsquo;s 3:27.47 wasn&rsquo;t enough to advance to the final.
In the third and final heat, South Africa moved into the lead on the second leg and managed to maintain it to the end. Hurdles specialist Zeney van der Walt, who had raced in the mixed 4x400m just 90 minutes prior, ran a strong anchor leg to bring the team home in a national record of 3:28.01.
Germany took second place in 3:28.63 ahead of Ireland (3:30.06). Somewhat surprisingly, Poland and Jamaica &ndash; usually among the strongest nations in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m &ndash; finished fifth and sixth.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships and progressing to World Relays women&rsquo;s 4x400m final</h3>
Ht 1: USA (3:26.05), France (3:26.46), Norway (3:26.61), Canada (3:27.28) Ht 2: Spain (3:26.25), Italy (3:27.03) Ht 3: South Africa (3:28.01), Germany (3:28.63)
<h2> History repeats for USA as South Africa and China impress in men&rsquo;s 4x400m heats</h2>
For the second World Relays in a row, the USA failed to advance automatically to the men&rsquo;s 4x400m final.
The world and Olympic champions were beaten into third place in their heat, and with just the top two teams in each of the four heats advancing to the final, it means the USA will have to achieve a top-three finish in the second round of races tomorrow to secure their place at the World Championships in Tokyo.
France, the world silver medallists, put forward a full-strength team and were rewarded with victory in 3:00.30, helped by a 44.45 leg from Loic Prevot. Kenya came through to take second place in 3:00.88, while the USA finished third (3:01.23).
Their time would have been enough to win the third heat. Instead, that came down to a thrilling three-way battle between Belgium, Great Britain and Qatar on the final leg.
The three teams were within one stride of each other going into the final leg. Qatar&rsquo;s Ammar Ismail Yahia Ibrahim tried to force his way between Belgium&rsquo;s Alexander Doom and Britain&rsquo;s Charlie Dobson but was ultimately unsuccessful. The latter two ran side by side down the home straight as Belgium took the win in 3:01.35, 0.03 ahead of Britain.
In the first heat of the round, South Africa produced a world-leading run of 3:00.00. Anchor leg runner Zakithi Nene already had a comfortable lead, but that didn&rsquo;t stop him running a 43.97 split to secure their victory.
Behind them, China came through to take second place &ndash; much to the delight of the home crowd, smashing their national record with 3:01.87 and booking their place at the World Championships ahead of Spain (3:02.04).
Despite not having several of the team members that contributed to their Olympic silver medal, Botswana still managed to come away with victory in their heat, clocking 3:01.23. Portugal took a brief lead towards the end of the third leg, and they held on to second place at the end, clocking a national record of 3:01.78.
USA wasn&rsquo;t the only relays powerhouse to miss out on the final. The likes of Poland, Jamaica and the Netherlands &ndash; all of whom are often in contention at major championships &ndash; will have to try again in round two on Sunday.
<h3>Qualified for World Championships and progressing to World Relays men&rsquo;s 4x400m final</h3>
Ht 1: South Africa (3:00.00), PR of China (3:01.87) Ht 2: Botswana (3:01.23), Portugal (3:01.78) Ht 3: Belgium (3:01.35), Great Britain &amp; NI (3:01.38) Ht 4: France (3:00.30), Kenya (3:00.88)
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

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