Records have tumbled, world leads have fallen, and 48 nations have earned their Beijing tickets as Botswana writes a new chapter in global athletics.
All this took place on a blazing Saturday afternoon at the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26, where history was not just made – but celebrated, lap by lap, baton by baton, in front of a roaring home crowd that understood exactly what this moment meant. For the first time in the competition’s history, the World Athletics Relays had come to Africa. And Africa delivered a spectacle worthy of the occasion.
The day’s drama began even before the 4x400m events took shape. The competition got off to a stunning start with Canada breaking the world record in the mixed 4x100m. Moments later, Jamaica bettered the mark with 39.99. The track in Gaborone was fast, the atmosphere electric, and the message unmistakable: this was no ordinary relay meet.
By the close of the opening day’s programme, the first eight teams in each relay event had secured their places for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27. Across six disciplines – the women’s and men’s 4x100m, women’s and men’s 4x400m, mixed 4x100m and mixed 4x400m – the top two teams in each heat, plus the next two fastest overall in each event, qualified for Beijing and advanced to Sunday’s finals.
A total of 48 relay teams left Saturday’s competition knowing they had booked their passage to the Chinese capital next year. The stakes could not have been higher — and the performances matched them.
A continent’s sprint awakening
In the 4x100m heats, the continental pride ran deep. Jamaica were the standouts in the women’s event, clocking 41.96, while Olympic champions Canada were fastest overall in the men’s 4x100m with 37.57.
For Africa, the 4x100m results carried their own significance. South Africa qualified for Beijing through the men’s event, joining Botswana, Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain & NI, the Netherlands and the United States in securing their World Championships places. Nigeria qualified in the mixed 4x100m, an achievement that adds to the continent’s growing presence on the global relay circuit.
The mixed 4x400m: barriers broken
The mixed 4x400m heats produced a historic threshold-breaking performance. Before this year, there had been just one sub-3:10 performance in the mixed 4x400m at the World Relays. In Gaborone on Saturday, four teams broke that barrier – Great Britain & NI, USA, Kenya and Spain all dipping under 3:10.
The fact that an African record fell in the process – Kenya’s Mercy Chebet anchoring her team to second place in the final heat in 3:09.87 – added particular resonance to proceedings on African soil. Kenya, Jamaica, Australia, Great Britain & NI, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United States all qualified for Beijing through the mixed 4x400m.
Crucially, the mixed relay events in Gaborone also serve as the main qualification route for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26, with the top six teams in each of the mixed 4x100m and mixed 4x400m finals on Sunday automatically qualifying for Budapest. The stakes on Sunday, therefore, extend well beyond relay glory alone.
Britain’s women make history
The women’s 4x400m produced the evening’s most jaw-dropping heat performance. Great Britain & NI’s quartet of Laviai Nielsen, Emily Newnham, Charlotte Henrich and Nicole Yeargin won their heat in 3:21.28 – their fourth-fastest time ever, and the second-fastest time ever recorded at the World Relays, bettered only by the USA’s competition record of 3:19.39 set in 2015.
Canada dominated the second heat after building a commanding lead by halfway, winning in 3:23.52 – their fastest ever time at the World Relays. Defending champions Spain were also sharp, winning the opening heat in 3:24.44, their second-fastest time behind the Spanish record they set when winning in Guangzhou. The eight women’s 4x400m qualifiers for Beijing are Canada, Czechia, Germany, Great Britain & NI, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain.
Botswana roars – and nearly stuns the world
It was in the men’s 4x400m that the home crowd found its loudest voice. When world champion Collen Kebinatshipi – the sprinting sensation who has become a symbol of Botswana’s athletic ambitions – took the baton on the third leg and surged to the front, the stadium erupted.
Australia led after two legs and Kebinatshipi put Botswana back into the lead on the third, but he fumbled the exchange and Australia regained their advantage. The quartet of Luke van Ratingen, Reece Holder, Matthew Hunt and Aidan Murphy held on, winning in a world-leading Oceanian record of 2:57.30 – just 0.05 shy of the USA’s competition record from 2015.
But Botswana were right there. The hosts placed second in 2:57.52, the third-fastest time ever recorded at the World Relays. On a night of continental firsts, Botswana had shown the world that the host nation is no ceremonial participant – they are contenders.
South Africa qualified from the second heat, winning in 2:58.04 after a powerful third leg from teenager Leendert Koekemoer gave them a lead they did not relinquish. Zimbabwe, too, earned their place on the global stage, booking their spot in Beijing with a national record of 2:59.01. The full list of men’s 4x400m qualifiers for Beijing are Australia, Belgium, Botswana, the Netherlands, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Three African nations – Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe – among the world’s best eight. On home soil. In a historic first.
Sunday: finals, more qualifiers, and the road to Budapest
The remaining teams return for an additional qualifying round on Sunday, where four teams – the top two in each heat – will secure the final automatic qualification places for the 2027 World Championships. The finals will then decide prize money and preferential lane seeding positions for Beijing.
The stakes could hardly be higher. And the track in Gaborone has already proven it has no respect for records, expectations, or quiet afternoons.
A continent writing new chapters
What Gaborone has produced in these opening rounds goes beyond results sheets and qualification tables. Africa has shown it can host the world, serve the sport, and compete at its summit – simultaneously.
As World Athletics President Sebastian Coe reminded gathered media and athletes at Friday’s pre-event press conference, this continent has powered world athletics for the better part of five decades. What Gaborone 26 is doing, record by record, relay by relay, is confirming that Africa is no longer simply producing the world’s greatest athletes. It is now home to the stage on which they perform.
The finals take place on Sunday. Africa is watching. The world is watching. And the baton is firmly in African hands.
