Botswana snatches gold in men’s 4x400m in Tokyo

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The final day at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 was the epitome of the whole nine-day competition, with a championship record, a surprise victor and more winners of multiple titles at the Japan National Stadium on Sunday.

In a race that came down to an anchor leg duel between two individual one-lap champions, Botswana claimed gold in a thrilling men’s 4x400m relay final in torrential downpour.

Rai Benjamin, the world and Olympic 400m hurdles champion, was given the baton in the lead for the USA on the last leg, while world 400m champion Collen Kebinatshipi had the last leg honours for Olympic silver medallists Botswana.

Benjamin maintained USA’s advantage for most of the way, but in the closing stages he was caught by Kebinatshipi, who crossed the line in 2:57.76.

Benjamin just about held on for silver in 2:57.83, the same time as bronze medallists South Africa – winners at the 2025 World Athletics Relays – anchored by Zakithi Nene.

Fourth place went to Belgium, who clocked 2:59:48 ahead of Qatar in 3:01:64, with Great Britain taking sixth place in 3:03:05.

A USA quartet entirely different from the one that contested the final had finished outside qualification after coming home sixth in their heat.

However, they were able to progress after beating Kenya in a run-off earlier in the day after it had been decided that they had both been impeded by the Zambian team who were subsequently disqualified.

Odira times finish to perfection to win surprise 800m gold

Kenya’s new kid on the block Lilian Odira announced herself on the global stage by securing a shock 800m triumph on Sunday.

Continuing a run of middle distance and distance upsets in Tokyo, Lilian Odira, coached by Jacinta Murigura in Nairobi, came through in the closing stages of the women’s 800m to win gold in 1:54.62.

The 26-year-old lowered her personal best by almost two-seconds and took down the oldest championship record in the book – the 42-year-old mark of 1:54.68 set by Czech athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.

Defending champion Mary Moraa led for the first lap with Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson tucked right behind. The two global champions started to kick with 300 metres to go, but so did Odira, who was further back in the pack.

Moraa started to fade at the top of the home straight. Hodgkinson battled for the final 100 metres, but Odira came striding around the outside and crossed the line in first place.

Georgia Hunter Bell caught her British teammate just before the line, taking silver in 1:54.90 to Hodgkinson’s 1:54.91. It was a race of record depth – the first time that three women have broken 1:55 and five women have gone sub-1:56.

Kenyan fifth-placed Sarah Moraa (1:55.74) and sixth-placed Sage Hurta-Klecker (1:55.89) both set personal bests.

“This is my first World Championships and I am really grateful to be leaving it as the world champion,” Odira said after the race. “It has been a long time coming.”

“I didn’t have any expectations; I was just following the pace of the race. I managed to have the most powerful finish and I got lucky to be going home with a gold medal. This medal means the world to me. It is for my sons, they are four and two. They are my motivation.”

Selected Results:

Women’s 800m Final:

1. Lilian Odira (KEN) 1:54.62 CR
2. Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR) 1:54.90 PB
3. Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) 1:54.91

Men’s 5000m Final:

1. Cole Hocker (USA) 12:58.30
2. Isaac Kimeli (BEL) 12:58.78
3. Jimmy Gressier (FRA) 12:59.33

Women’s 4x100m Relay Final:

1. United States (USA) 41.75
2. Jamaica (JAM) 41.79
3. Germany 41.87

Men’s 4x100m Relay Final:

1. United States (USA) 37.29 WL
2. Canada (CAN) 37.55
3. Netherlands (NED) 37.81

Women’s 4x400m Relay Final:

1. United States (USA) 3:16.61 CR
2. Jamaica (JAM) 3:19.25
3. Netherlands (NED) 3:20.18

Men’s 4x400m Relay Final:

1. Botswana (BOT) 2:57.76
2. United States (USA) 2:57.83
3. South Africa (RSA) 2:57.83