The second and final day of the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou (May 11) was all it was hyped up to be, with a show of national records, breakout stars, and strategic comebacks. With 30 World Championships spots on the line and five finals up for grabs, Day 2 proved to be a reshuffling of the global relay hierarchy.
Here’s a breakdown of every key result and what it means heading into Tokyo 2025.
🇪🇸 Women’s 4x400m: Spain Stuns USA in Tactical Upset
The women’s 4x400m was expected to be a comfortable win for the United States, but Spain flipped the script, delivering a shock victory in 3:24.13, over half a second under their previous national record.
Key Legs and Strategy:
- Paula Sevilla led off with a 51.84 to keep Spain in contention.
- Daniela Fra reclaimed the lead on the third leg, a pivotal moment that set up Blanca Hervas.
- Hervas, doubling back from the mixed relay earlier in the evening, closed with poise to edge the USA’s Bailey Lear on the anchor.
Podium:
- 🇪🇸 Spain – 3:24.13 (National Record)
- 🇺🇸 USA – 3:24.72
- 🇿🇦 South Africa – 3:24.84 (National Record)
Spain had only once before made a global 4x400m final (1991). Until last year, their national record still came from that race. They hadn’t fielded full 4x400m squads at the Olympics from 1996–2021 or at Worlds between 2003–2019.
Spain, South Africa, and Norway (4th place with 3:25.35) are no longer dark horses—these are medal-contending nations now.
🇿🇦 Men’s 4x400m: South Africa Breaks 2:58 Barrier in World-Leading Run
In what might have been the most electrifying race of the night, South Africa dropped a world-leading 2:57.50, fending off European indoor champ Alexander Doom (Belgium) and a strong Botswana team.
Team Splits and Highlights:
- Udeme Okon and Leendert Koekemoer each ran in the 44.2 range to hand off with a slim lead.
- Zakhithi Nene, ever the closer, finished strong in lane four to clinch the win.
Top Five Times (all under 3:00):
- 🇿🇦 South Africa – 2:57.50 (NR, WL)
- 🇧🇪 Belgium – 2:58.19
- 🇧🇼 Botswana – 2:58.27
- 🇫🇷 France – 2:58.80
- 🇰🇪 Kenya – 2:59.29 (NR)
This is only the second time in history (outside Olympics/Worlds) that five teams broke the 3:00 barrier in a single race, without the USA even in the final.
Team USA did secure qualification later that evening in the repechage, winning in 2:58.68 over Australia and Qatar.
🇺🇸 Mixed 4x400m: USA Crushes Field in Championship Record
Redemption was on the table for the world-record-holding U.S. mixed 4x400m team, after a disappointing finish at the Paris Olympics. They took it with force.
Key Performance Notes:
- Johnnie Blockburger’s 44.16 split on leg 3 turned a close race into a blowout.
- Lynna Irby-Jackson finished with a 49.53 anchor leg.
- Final time: 3:09.54—a championship record and eighth-fastest time ever.
Podium:
- 🇺🇸 USA – 3:09.54 (CR)
- 🇦🇺 Australia – 3:12.20 (Oceanian Record)
- 🇰🇪 Kenya – 3:13.10
🇿🇦 Men’s 4x100m: South Africa Beats USA in World-Leading Time
South Africa’s sprint group is no longer just “promising”—they’re elite. In one of the most closely contested 4x100m finals in recent memory, Akani Simbine anchored his team to a world lead of 37.61, edging out the USA by just 0.05 seconds.
Final Result:
- 🇿🇦 South Africa – 37.61 (WL)
- 🇺🇸 USA – 37.66
- 🇨🇦 Canada – 38.11
🇬🇧 Women’s 4x100m: Britain’s Young Core Steps Up
Great Britain’s young squad brought it all together, with Success Eduan anchoring them to a come-from-behind gold in 42.21. Her burst down the stretch overtook Spain’s Maria Isabel Perez and Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson in a deep field.
Results:
- 🇬🇧 Great Britain & NI – 42.21
- 🇪🇸 Spain – 42.28
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica – 42.33
- 🇺🇸 USA – 42.40 (4th)
- 🇨🇦 Canada – 42.46 (NR)
🇨🇦 Mixed 4x100m: Canada Makes History in Debut Event
In the global debut of the mixed 4x100m relay, Canada claimed the first-ever title, clocking 40.30 behind a solid anchor leg from Eliezer Adjibi.
The quartet (McCreath, Leclair, Asemota, Adjibi) held off Jamaica and Great Britain.
“To be the first champions of this event is something we’ll remember forever,” said Asemota.
World Championships Qualification Update
After two days, 70 relay teams have now secured qualification for WCH Tokyo 25, including:
✅ Five-event qualifiers:
- 🇺🇸 USA
- 🇬🇧 Great Britain & NI
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
✅ Four-event qualifiers:
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇨🇳 China
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇵🇱 Poland
What This Means for Tokyo
The takeaway from Guangzhou is that depth is deeper, and dominance is more fragile than ever:
- Spain and South Africa are no longer spoilers—they’re serious medal threats.
- Canada and China continue to ascend in depth and quality across all relays.
- USA and Jamaica are still global forces, but the days of easy golds are gone.
The 2025 World Championships could be the most competitive relay program in history—not because records are falling, but because more nations are rising.
