Success Eduan produces a fine anchor leg as British quartet see off Spain, Jamaica and the USA to claim gold medal in women’s sprint relay
Great Britain laid down quite the marker ahead of this year’s World Championships in Tokyo [September 13-21] by securing gold in the women’s 4x100m at the World Relays.
In an enthralling final in Guangzhou, the quartet of Nia Wedderburn-Goodison, Amy Hunt, Bianca Williams and Success Eduan combined to clock 42.21 in Guangzhou, seeing off an impressive Spain, Jamaica and the USA.
Eduan, a double European under-20 champion over 200m, had never represented Great Britain at a senior championships before and had the unenviable task of facing both Twanisha Terry and Shericka Jackson on the anchor leg.
Great Britain were placed on the outside lane and started well, with Amy Hunt battling Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce for the lead down the back straight. As the stagger unwound, it became a four-way battle for the title between Great Britain, Spain, Jamaica and the USA.
With Spain’s María Isabel Pérez receiving the baton ahead of the rest, Eduan found herself, alongside Jackson and Terry, with work to do down the home straight.
The Brit then produced a scintillating leg to overcome not just Jackson and Terry but also Pérez, bursting into a wide smile as soon as she knew victory was in the bag.
“I don’t even know what happened – I just went past them and that’s all I did,” Eduan said. “To come away with a gold medal, not any other colour but gold it is absolutely amazing. We have worked hard. I am just grateful for the opportunity and took it with both hands, well one hand with the baton! 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.”
In equally dramatic fashion, South Africa triumphed in the men’s 4x100m relay as Akani Simbine chased down the USA’s Brandon Hicklin in the last 50 metres of the race.
The foursome of Bayanda Walaza, Sinesipho Dambile, Bradley Nkoana and Akani Simbine recorded a world-leading time of 37.61, with the USA second in 37.66 and Canada third in 38.11
South Africa triumphed in the men’s 4x400m as Gardeo Isaacs, Udeme Okon, Leendert Koekemoer and Zakithi Nene combined to clock a world-leading 2:57.50. Their foursome also claimed a bronze medal in the women’s 4x400m.
That race was won the superb Spanish quartet of Paula Sevilla, Eva Santidrián, Daniela Fra and Blanca Hervas, who ran a national record of 3:24.13 in Guangzhou. The USA, who were strong favourites, placed second with 3:24.72.
The USA had better success in the mixed 4x400m however and they retained their title in some style in Guangzhou.
The quartet of Chris Robinson, Courtney Okolo, Johnnie Blockburger and Lynna Irby-Jackson recorded a championships record of 3:09.54 and victory never looked in doubt. Australia placed second with an Oceanic record of 3:12.20 and Kenya completed the podium.
Great Britain, who had Sam Lunt, Poppy Malik, Bailey Swift and Hannah Kelly in the team, were fourth with 3:14.74.
Canada secured victory in the mixed 4x100m, with the quartet of Sade McCreath, Marie-Éloïse Leclair, Duan Asemota and Eliezer Adjibi combining to clock 40.30.
Jamaica placed second with 40.44 and Great Britain – made up of Asha Philip, Kissiwaa Mensah, Jeriel Quainoo and Joe Ferguson – were third in 40.88.
The mixed 4x100m, which has only recently been introduced by World Athletics, will not be a discipline at this year’s World Championships. It will instead be at next season’s World Ultimate Championships in Budapest. Official world records for the mixed 4x100m will also count from January 1, 2026 onwards.
In the earlier repechage rounds, Great Britain’s women’s 4x400m eventually qualified for the World Championships. In yesterday’s heat, where only the first two teams automatically booked their spots on the plane to Tokyo, the foursome of Victoria Ohuruogu, Hannah Kelly, Lina Nielsen and Laviai Nielsen narrowly placed third behind Spain and Italy.
With Nicole Yeargin replacing Ohuruogu in the repechage round, Great Britain won their race in 3:24.46 and qualified for the World Championships with little drama this time around.
Belgium, Poland, Ireland, Australia and Switzerland also secured qualification in the women’s 4x400m at the second time of asking.
After only finishing third in their men’s 4x400m heat behind France and Kenya yesterday, the USA made hard work of booking their spot for Tokyo but got the job done in the end.
In a highly competitive repechage round, the quartet of Elija Godwin, Justin Robinson, Kennedy Lightner and Khaleb McRae saw off the challenge of Australia and clocked a world-leading 2:58.68.
Australia, Qatar, Brazil, Netherlands and Jamaica also booked their spots to Tokyo.
China delighted the tens of thousands of home fans in Guangzhou by winning the women’s 4x100m repechage round with 43.03. Switzerland and Poland also qualified for Tokyo but there was a shock as Australia missed out on a top three spot. The Aussie team were then later disqualified for a baton infringement.
France, Italy and Chile completed the qualification for the World Championships in the women’s 4x100m.
The men’s 4x100m repechage round was split into three races, meaning only the top two teams from each would qualify. Jamaica, who DNF’d in their heat yesterday, had a second opportunity to book their spot to Tokyo and, with Olympic 100m champion Kishane Thompson and Yohan Blake in their roster, it seemed a foregone conclusion.
However, Julian Forte pulled up with an injury on the back straight and fell to the ground just before he could give the baton to Blake. It resulted in another DNF for Jamaica and means their only possible route to make the World Championships is now through one of two spots via the world rankings.
Like the women’s 4x100m, China starred in the men’s edition and won their repechage race in 38.03. The other countries that secured qualification were Australia, France, Ghana, Belgium and Kenya.
