The World Athletics Relays, known as the IAAF World Relays until 2019, is an international biennial track and field sporting event held by World Athletics where teams from around the world compete in relay races, some of which are not part of the standard Olympic programme. The first three editions were set to take place in Nassau, Bahamas at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Originally intended as an annual event, it was later decided to happen every odd year,IAAF World Relays bidding information in the same year as the World Athletics Championships for which it serves as a qualification stage.
The competition format for the first edition included the 4 × 100 metres relay, the 4 × 200 metres relay, the 4 × 400 metres relay, the 4 × 800 metres relay and the 4 × 1500 metres relay. The first edition had a $1.4 million prize fund.
From the second edition, the 4 × 1500 metres relay was replaced by the distance medley relay. However, this was short-lived and was itself replaced by a mixed-gender 4 × 400 metres relay for the third edition.Competitions Update. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-21. In 2019, the 2 × 2 × 400 m relay and the shuttle hurdles relay were added to the mixed-gender category. Starting from the 2024 edition, all the non-Olympic events were removed from the programme and only the mens and women's 4 × 100 and 4 × 400 metres remained, alongside the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay. In the 2025 edition, a mixed 4 × 100 metres was added to the programme, bringing the total to 6 events.
Championships Edition Year City Country Date Venue No. of Events No. ofCountries No. ofAthletes Top of themedal table 1 2014 Nassau 24–25 May Thomas Robinson Stadium1041470 2 2015 Nassau 2–3 May Thomas Robinson Stadium1042584 3 2017 Nassau 22–23 April Thomas Robinson Stadium935419 4 2019 Yokohama 11–12 May Yokohama International Stadium943529 5 2021 Chorzów 1–2 May Silesian Stadium937689 6 2024 Nassau 4–5 May Thomas Robinson Stadium552893 7 2025 Guangzhou 10–11 May Tianhe Stadium643734 8 2026 Gaborone 2–3 May Botswana National Stadium640723 9 2028 Nassau 22–23 April Thomas Robinson Stadium
Events EventYearDisciplineGender201420152017201920212024202520264 × 100 metres relayMen✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓Mixed✗✗✗✗✗✗✓✓Women✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓Shuttle hurdles relayMixed✗✗✗✓✓✗✗✗4 × 200 metres relayMen✓✓✓✓✓✗✗✗Women✓✓✓✓✓✗✗✗4 × 400 metres relayMen✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓Mixed✗✗✓✓✓✓✓✓Women✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓2 × 2 × 400 metres relayMixed✗✗✗✓✓✗✗✗4 × 800 metres relayMen✓✓✓✗✗✗✗✗Women✓✓✓✗✗✗✗✗Distance medley relayMen✗✓✗✗✗✗✗✗Women✗✓✗✗✗✗✗✗4 × 1500 metres relayMen✓✗✗✗✗✗✗✗Women✓✗✗✗✗✗✗✗
Championships records
Men EventRecordAthleteNationalityDateMeetPlace4 × 100 m relay37.38Mike RodgersJustin GatlinTyson GayRyan Bailey2 May 20152015 IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas4 × 200 m relay1:18.63Nickel AshmeadeWarren WeirJermaine BrownYohan Blake24 May 20142014 IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas4 × 400 m relay2:54.47 Lee EppieLetsile TebogoBayapo NdoriCollen Kebinatshipi3 May 20262026 RelaysGaborone, Botswana4 × 800 m relay7:04.84Duane SolomonErik SowinskiCasimir LoxsomRobby Andrews3 May 20152015 IAAF World RelaysNassau, BahamasDistance medley relay9:15.50Kyle Merber 2:53.56 (1200 m)Brycen Spratling 45.95 (400 m)Brandon Johnson 1:44.75 (800 m)Ben Blankenship 3:51.24 (1600 m)3 May 20152015 IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas4 × 1500 m relay14:22.22Collins CheboiSilas KiplagatJames Kiplagat MagutAsbel Kiprop25 May 20142014 IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas
Women EventRecordAthleteNationalityDateMeetPlace4 × 100 m relay41.85Tamari DavisGabrielle ThomasCelera BarnesMelissa Jefferson5 May 20242024 RelaysNassau, Bahamas4 × 200 m relay1:29.04Jura LevyShericka JacksonSashalee ForbesElaine Thompson22 April 20172017 IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas4 × 400 m relay3:19.39Phyllis FrancisNatasha HastingsSanya Richards-RossFrancena McCorory3 May 20152015 IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas4 × 800 m relay8:00.62Chanelle PriceMaggie VesseyMolly Beckwith-LudlowAlysia Johnson Montaño3 May 20152015 IAAF World RelaysNassau, BahamasDistance medley relay10:36.50Treniere Moser 3:18.38 (1200 m)Sanya Richards-Ross 50.12 (400 m)Ajee' Wilson 2:00.08 (800 m)Shannon Rowbury 4:27.92 (1600 m)2 May 20152015 IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas4 × 1500 m relay16:33.58Mercy CheronoFaith KipyegonIrene JelagatHellen Onsando Obiri24 May 20142014 IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas
Mixed EventRecordAthleteNationalityDateMeetPlace4 × 100 m relay39.62 Ackeem BlakeTina ClaytonKadrian GoldsonTia Clayton3 May 20262026 RelaysGaborone, Botswana4 × 400 m relay3:07.47 Bryce DeadmonParis PeoplesJenoah McKiverBailey Lear3 May 20262026 RelaysGaborone, Botswana2 × 2 × 400 m relay3:36.92Ce'Aira BrownDonavan Brazier11 May 20192019 RelaysYokohama, JapanShuttle hurdle relay54.96Christina ClemonsFreddie CrittendenSharika NelvisDevon Allen11 May 20192019 RelaysYokohama, Japan
Medal table
Multiple wins Multiple wins athletes are:
Three wins Athlete Country EventsNickel Ashmeade Men's 4 × 100 m 2014, 4 × 200 m 2014/2015Tony McQuay Men's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015/2017LaShawn Merritt Men's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015/2017David Verburg Men's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015/2017Natasha Hastings Women's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015/2017Chanelle Price Women's 4 × 800 m 2014/2015/2017Sanya Richards-Ross Women's 4 × 400 m 2014/2015, Distance Medley Relay 2015
Two wins Athlete Country EventsYohan Blake Men's 4 × 100 m 2014, 4 × 200 m 2014Justin Gatlin Men's 4 × 100 m 2015/2017Casimir Loxsom Men's 4 × 800 m 2015/2017Erik Sowinski Men's 4 × 800 m 2015/2017Warren Weir Men's 4 × 200 m 2014/2015Phyllis Francis Women's 4 × 400 m 2015/2017Ajeé Wilson Women's 4 × 800 m 2014, Distance Medley Relay 2015Quanera HayesWomen's 4 × 400 m 2017/2024Gabrielle ThomasWomen's 4 × 100 m 2024, Women's 4 × 400 m 2024Lynna IrbyMixed 4 × 400 m 2024/2025
References
External links World Athletics Relays on worldathletics.org