This event has ended.
Welcome to our live coverage of the first day of competition at the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 in Gaborone, Botswana
WHAT'S COMING UP THIS AFTERNOON (Local time is GMT+2)
- 2:05 PM | Mixed 4x100 Metres Relay | World Ch. Qualifying Round 1
- 2:30 PM | Mixed 4x400 Metres Relay | World Ch. Qualifying Round 1
- 3:05 PM | Women's 4x100 Metres Relay - World Ch. Qualifying Round 1
- 3:30 PM | Men's 4x100 Metres Relay - World Ch. Qualifying Round 1
- 3:55 PM | Women's 4x400 Metres Relay - World Ch. Qualifying Round 1
- 4:30 PM | Men's 4x400 Metres Relay - World Ch. Qualifying Round 1
What a start!!
Canada storm to a new world record in the first event at the World Relays in Gaborone.
Canada's Audrey Leduc stopped the clock at 40.07 seconds, with Germany placing second in 40.15.
Netherlands finished third (40.20) and Nigeria fourth (40.24) in this heat.
Botswana, Jamaica and Great Britain all featured in the third and final 4x100m mixed heat.
Jamaica dominated the race, shattering the world record set in the first heat by Canada - stopping the clock at 39.99!
Great Britain finished second in 40.72 followed by Australia in third (40.78).
Botswana crossed the line in 7th place (42.29).
Result - Mixed 4x100 Metres Relay
World Ch. Qualifying Round 1 Heat 1
- Canada - 40.07 SB
- Germany - 40.15 SB
- Netherlands - 40.20 SB
- Nigeria - 40.24 SB
- Italy - 40.96 SB
- Portugal - 41.45 SB
- Ukraine - 41.84 SB
World Ch. Qualifying Round 1 Heat 2
- USA - 40.36 SB
- Spain - 40.51 SB
- France - 40.54 SB
- Poland - 41.34 SB
- PR of China - 41.43 SB
- Belgium - 41.62 SB
- Paraguay - 42.77 SB
- India - DNF
World Ch. Qualifying Round 1 Heat 3
- Jamaica - 39.99 WR
- GBR - 40.72 SB
- Australia - 40.78 SB
- Kenya - 41.35 SB
- Switzerland - 41.49 SB
- Mexico - 42.31
- Botswana - 42.49 SB
- New Zealand - DNF
GBR pipped Kenya to win the third and final heat of the mixed 4x400m (3:09.69).
Kenya ran an impressive race, setting an Area Record of 3:09.87, with Italy finishing closely behind in third (3:10.60).
South Africa and Botswana also featured in this race finishing fifth and seventh respectively.
In an earlier heat, Nigeria just missed out on automatic qualification, finishing third in 3:13.12.
South Africa ran a new national record (43.22) in the second heat.
South Africa and Botswana finished fourth in their respective heats, just missing out on automatic qualification for Beijing and will be back tomorrow for a second chance to qualify.
Defending champions GBR were disqualified for a late baton change in the second heat.
JOB DONE FOR BOTSWANA!!!!
Letsile Tebogo charged down the home-straight to finish behind winners USA in a new national record of 37.96.
The noise in the stadium turned all the way up for the national team!
Result - Men's 4x100 Metres Relay
World Ch. Qualifying Round 1 Heat 1
- USA - 37.77 SB
- Botswana - 37.96 NR
- Netherlands - 38.00 SB
- Japan - 38.01 SB
- Italy - 38.74 SB
- France - 38.97 SB
- Colombia - 40.86 SB
World Ch. Qualifying Round 1 Heat 2
- Canada - 37.56 WL
- Germany - 37.67 NR
- Australia - 37.87 =AR
- Jamaica - 38.08 SB
- Kenya - 38.50 SB
- Spain - 38.80 SB
- Belgium - DNF
World Ch. Qualifying Round 1 Heat 3
- South Africa - 37.68 SB
- GBR - 38.01 SB
- PR of China - 38.02 SB
- Ghana - 38.19 SB
- Nigeria - 38.31 SB
- Brazil - 38.61 SB
- Poland - 38.91 SB
- India - 39.07 SB
South Africa are one step closer to defending their 4x100m World Relays title, thanks to an excellent anchor by Akani Simbine.
Team SA won the final heat in a time of 37.68, cementing their spot at the World Championships next year.
In the penultimate event of the afternoon, South Africa finished fourth in the third heat of the women's 4x400m heats, just missing out on an automatic qualification (3:26.77).
Ethiopia achieved a new national record in seventh place with a time of 3:33.18 in the second heat. Botswana finished fifth and Kenya eighth in the same heat.
Nigeria placed sixth in the first heat with a time of 3:30.71.
South Africa, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria will all be back tomorrow for a second chance of securing qualification.
The defending champions Botswana have put together a strong team for their opening campaign at the World Relay Championships.
The team features World Champion Collen Kebinatshipi and World bronze medallist Bayapo Ndori.
Crazy scenes!
Australia hold off home-favourites Botswana to win heat one in a new national record and world leading time of 2:57.30.
Botswana settled for second in 2:57.52 after a costly baton change.
Netherlands finished third in 2:58.22.
Both Australia and Botswana punch their ticket to Beijing.
In heat two, South Africa were the ones to beat on paper.
Not only did they win their heat, they done so in dominant fashion, stopping the clock in 2:58.04.
In the same heat, Zimbabwe ran a strong race to finish in third place - enough to achieve automatic qualification.
Senegal and Kenya finished fifth and sixth respectively - both with a point to prove in tomorrow's repechage round.
That's all for day one at the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26.
The teams will be back tomorrow for the finals.
Teams who missed out on qualification will have another shot at qualifying for Beijing in tomorrow's event.
Thank you for joining our live coverage, we'll be back again tomorrow!
Mixed 4×100 Metres Relay w: m/s
| Position | Athlete | Time |
|---|---|---|
Mixed 4×400 Metres Relay w: m/s
| Position | Athlete | Time |
|---|---|---|
CONTRIBUTORS
Kelly is a London-based sportswriter driven by a love for sport, with track and field at the heart of it. She began her journey as a sports reporter covering women's football, and has since gone on to cover major international competitions, including the Paris 2024 Olympic Games for Eurosport.
She breaks up her excessive screen time by running laps around the park or planning her next holiday!
