This is the seventh in a series of 13 posts in which TFI will preview all 48 events that will comprise the athletics portion of the Olympic Games in Paris. The track and field competition will run from Thursday, August 1, through Sunday, August 11. Once all of the preview capsules have been posted they will be pinned on the TFI home page for easy reference. The next post after this one? The men’s jumps.
MEN’S 4 x 100
World Record: 36.84, Jamaica (Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt), 2012.
Olympic Record: 36.84, Jamaica (Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt), 2012.
World Leader: 37.40, United States (Courtney Lindsey, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, Noah Lyles).
RECENT GLOBAL CHAMPIONS
2023 World Championships: United States, 37.38 (Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Brandon Carnes, Noah Lyles).
2022 World Championships: Canada, 37.48 (Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney, Andre De Grasse).
2021 Olympic Games: Italy, 37.50 (Lorenzo Patta, Marcell Jacobs, Eseosa Desalu, Filippo Tortu).
2019 World Championships: United States, 37.10 (Christian Coleman, Justin Gatlin, Mike Rodgers, Noah Lyles).
2017 World Championships: Great Britain, 37.47 (CJ Ujah, Adam Gemili, Danny Talbot, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake).
2016 Olympic Games: Jamaica, 37.27 (Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake, Nickel Ashmeade, Usain Bolt).
SCHEDULE
August 8: Round One, 5:35 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time.
August 9: Final, 1:45 p.m.
OUTLOOK
The United States has won 15 of the 25 gold medals awarded in this event since its inception in the 1912 Games in Stockholm, yet the Americans will be looking for their first Olympic title since 2000 this year. On paper, the U.S. possesses the most speed of any squad in the field as its top four finishers in the 100 in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in late June have run 9.81, 9.86, 9.87, and 9.88 this year. On top of that, its opening leg should be handled by Christian Coleman, widely regarded as the best starter in the world. However, the Americans were also favored to win the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021, but failed to advance to the final when horrendous baton passing led to a sixth-place time of 38.10 in their qualifying heat. Jamaica and defending champion Italy could be the two teams best equipped to win the gold medal in Paris if the U.S. should falter. The Jamaicans have a very good 1-2-3 punch in Kishane Thompson, Oblique Seville, and Akeem Blake, who have run 9.77, 9.82, and 9.92 this season. However, the other two members of their relay pool are Jelani Walker, who has run 10.04, and Jehlani Gordon, who has run 10.05. The Italians will be led by defending Olympic 100 champion Marcell Jacobs, who has a best of 9.92 this year, and Chituru Ali, who has run 9.96. Great Britain, Japan, 2022 World champion Canada, and South Africa are some of the other teams to watch. South Africans Akani Simbine and 20-year Benjamin Richardson have each run 9.86 this year.
WOMEN’S 4 x 100
World Record: 40.82, United States (Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter), 2012.
Olympic Record: 40.82, United States (Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, Carmelita Jeter), 2012.
World Leader: 41.55, Great Britain (Dina Asher-Smith, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt, Daryll Neita).
RECENT GLOBAL CHAMPIONS
2023 World Championships: United States, 41.03 (Tamari Davis, TeeTee Terry, Gabby Thomas, Sha’Carri Richardson).
2022 World Championships: United States, 41.14 (Melissa Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini, TeeTee Terry).
2021 Olympic Games: Jamaica, 41.02 (Brianna Williams, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson).
2019 World Championships: Jamaica, 41.44 (Natalliah Whyte, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jonielle Smith, Shericka Jackson).
2017 World Championships: United States, 41.82 (Aailyah Brown, Allyson Felix, Morolake Akinosun, Tori Bowie).
2016 Olympic Games: United States, 41.02 (Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, English Gardner, Tori Bowie).
SCHEDULE
August 8: Round One, 5:10 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time.
August 9: Final, 1:30 p.m.
OUTLOOK
Teams from the United States and Jamaica have combined to win the last 11 global championships in this event and squads from those two nations are again expected to battle for the gold medal in Paris. The Americans appear to have more depth than the Jamaicans as five of the six runners in their relay pool have run 10.91 or faster in the 100 this year, led by reigning World champion Sha’Carri Richardson at 10.71 and U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up Melissa Jefferson at 10.80. Gabby Thomas, the yearly world leader in the 200 at 21.78, could also be part of the team as she handled the third leg for the victorious U.S. squad in last year’s World Athletics Championships. Shericka Jackson, Tia Clayton, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce have run 10.84, 10.86, and 10.91 for Jamaica this season, but the other members of the nation’s relay pool are Shashalee Forbes, who has run 11.03, and Alana Reid, who has clocked 11.09. Great Britain would appear be a very solid pick for the bronze medal as the Brits placed third in the World Championships last year, as well as in the Games in 2021 and 2016. Great Britain also won silver medals in the World Championships in 2017 and ’19 and a squad of Dina Asher-Smith, Imani Lansiquot, Amy Hunt, and Daryll Neita tied the national record of 41.55 in winning a Diamond League meet in London on July 20. Nigeria, led by 10.88 100-meter performer Rosemary Chukwuma, could be the squad with the best chance of battling Great Britain for the bronze. Other teams that appear capable of contending for a top-five finish are France, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, and Italy
MEN’S 4 x 400
World Record: 2:54.29, United States (Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Butch Reynolds, Michael Johnson), 1993.
Olympic Record: 2:55.39, United States (LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville, Jeremy Wariner), 2008.
World Leader: 2:58.83, University of Arkansas (TJ Tomlyanovich, Lance Lang, Steven McElroy, James Benson II).
RECENT GLOBAL CHAMPIONS
2023 World Championships: United States, 2:57.31 (Quincy Hall, Vernon Norwood, Justin Robinson, Rai Benjamin).
2022 World Championships: United States, 2:56.17 (Elija Godwin, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon, Champion Allison).
2021 Olympic Games: United States, 2:55.70 (Michael Cherry, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon, Rai Benjamin).
2019 World Championships: United States, 2:56.69 (Fred Kerley, Michael Cherry, Wilbert London, Rai Benjamin).
2017 World Championships: Trinidad and Tobago, 2:58.12 (Jarrin Solomon, Jereem Richards, Machel Cedeno, Lalonde Gordon).
2016 Olympic Games: United States, 2:57.30 (Arman Hall, Tony McQuay, Gil Roberts, LaShawn Merritt).
SCHEDULE
August 9: Round One, 5:05 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time.
August 10: Final, 3:12 p.m.
OUTLOOK
The United States is favored to win its third Olympic title in a row and fifth in the last six Olympiads as the American relay pool is comprised of six sprinters who have run between 43.80 and 44.42 this year. Olympic Trials champion Quincy Hall tops the list at 43.80, and 2022 World champion Michael Norman, Christopher Bailey, and Vernon Norwood, the second- through fourth-place finishers in the Trials, have run 44.21, 44.42, and 44.10. In addition to those four, Bryce Deadmon and 16-year-old Quincy Wilson, the fifth- and sixth-place finishers in the Trials, have run 44.23 and 44.20. Wilson, who will be a junior at the Bullis School in Potomoc, Maryland, during the 2024-25 academic year, had lowered the world U18 (under 18) record to 44.66 and 44.59, respectively, in the Trials. But he topped those marks with a winning time of 44.20 in winning the Hollway Pro Classic on July 19. Intermediate hurdler Rai Benjamin could also contribute a high-quality leg for the U.S. as he has run 44.42 in his lone 400 this year and ran the anchor leg for gold medal-winning squads in the Games in Tokyo and in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, last year. Noah Lyles of the U.S., who won the 100 and 200, and anchored the victorious 4 x 100 relay in the World Championships last year, has been campaigning to be included on the U.S. 4 x 400 relay team in Paris. However, it remains be seen if that will come to pass. Great Britain, Belguim, Botswana and South Africa could be the teams that are most capable of challenging the U.S. The Brits will be led by Matthew Hudson-Smith, who lowered his European record in the 400 to 43.74 in a Diamond League meet in London on July 20, and Charles Dobson, who ran 44.23 while finishing fourth in that race. Belgium, winners of the World indoor title in March, will be paced by 44.15 performer Alexander Doom. Bayapo Ndori, who has run 44.10, is expected to lead Botswana. But Letsile Tebogo, best known for his exploits at 100 and 200 meters, could also run in the 4 x 400 as he was credited with splits of 43.49 and 43.72, respectively, for Botswanan squads that posted winning times of 2:59.73 and 2:59.11, respectively, in their heat and in the final of the World Athletics Relays meet in early May. Lythe Pillay and Wayde van Niekirk should pace South Africa. Pillay ran a personal best of 44.31 in the 400 in April and van Niekirk holds the world record at 43.03, although his season best is 44.74.
WOMEN’S 4 x 400
World Record: 3:15.17, Soviet Union (Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Bryzgina), 1988.
Olympic Record: 3:15.17, Soviet Union (Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Mariya Pinigina, Olga Bryzgina), 1988.
World Leader: 3:21.70, United States (Quanera Hayes, Gabby Thomas, Bailey Lear, Alexis Holmes).
RECENT GLOBAL CHAMPIONS
2023 World Championships: Netherlands, 3:20.72 (Eveline Saalberg, Lieke Klaver, Cathelijn Peeters, Femke Bol).
2022 World Championships: United States, 3:17.79 (Talitha Diggs, Abby Steiner, Britton Wilson, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone).
2021 Olympic Games: United States, 3:16.85 (Sydney McLaughlin, Allyson Felix, Dalilah Muhammad, Athing Mu).
2019 World Championships: United States, 3:18.92 (Phyllis Francis, Sydney McLaughlin, Dalilah Muhammad, Wadeline Jonathas).
2017 World Championships: United States, 3:19.02 (Quanera Hayes, Allyson Felix, Shakima Wimbley, Phyllis Francis).
2016 Olympic Games: United States, 3:19.06 (Courtney Okolo, Natasha Hastings, Phyllis Francis, Allyson Felix).
SCHEDULE
August 9: Round One, 4:40 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time.
August 10: Final, 3:22 p.m.
OUTLOOK
Assuming there are no mishaps in the qualifying round — as occurred in last year’s World Championships when its squad was disqualified for a passing zone violation — the United States should be favored to win its eighth consecutive Olympic title when the final is held on August 10. Kendall Ellis, Aaliyah Butler, and Alexis Holmes ran personal bests of 49.46, 49.71, and 49.78 in the 400, respectively, while finishing first, second, and third in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The remaining members of its 4 x 400 relay pool will be Kaylyn Brown, who has run 49.13 this season, Shamier Little, who has clocked 50.13, Isabella Whittaker, who has timed 50.17, and Quanera Hayes, who has run 50.44. For good measure, 400 hurdle megastar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone could be inserted into the lineup as she ran a 47.91-second anchor leg on a U.S. team that won the World title in 2022 and she also clocked 50.2 on her opening leg for the American squad that won the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021. The Netherlands, Jamaica, and Great Britain finished 1-2-3 in a thrilling World title race in Budapest, Hungary, last year, and they could once again stage another terrific battle for the silver and bronze medals in Paris. The Dutch team should include Femke Bol and Lieke Klaver, who have personal bests of 49.17 (indoors) and 49.58 in the 400, respectively. The Jamaicans will be led by Nickisha Pryce, who lowered her national record in the 400 to 48.57 in a Diamond League meet in London on July 20. The Brits will be paced by Amber Anning, a 49.51 performer and a teammate of Pryce and Brown at the University of Arkansas during the recent collegiate season in the U.S. Ireland, Belgium, Canada, Italy, France, and Poland are some of the other squads that could contend for a top-five finish. The Irish team will be led by Rhasidat Adeleke, who ran a national record of 49.07 to finish second in the 400 in the European Athletics Championships. The Polish squad will be paced by European 400 champion Natalia Kaczmarek, who lowered her national record to 48.90 while finishing second to Pryce in London.
MIXED 4 x 400
World Record: 3:08.80, United States (Justin Robinson, Rosey Effiong, Matthew Boling, Alexis Holmes), 2023.
Olympic Record: 3:09.87, Poland (Karol Zalewski, Natalia Kaczmarek, Justyna Swiety-Ersetic, Kajetan Duszynski), 2021.
World Leader: 3:09.92, Ireland (Christopher O’Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Thomas Barr, Sharlene Mawdsley.
RECENT GLOBAL CHAMPIONS
2023 World Championships: United States,3:08.80 WR (Justin Robinson, Rosey Effiong, Matthew Boling, Alexis Holmes).
2022 World Championships: Dominican Republic, 3:09.82 (Lidio Feliz, Marileidy Paulino, Alexander Ogando, Fiordaliza Cofil).
2021 Olympic Games: Poland, 3:09.87 (Karol Zalewski, Natalia Kaczmarek, Justyna Swiety-Ersetic, Kajetan Duszynsli).
2019 World Championships: United States, 3:09.34 WR (Wilbert London, Allyson Felix, Courtney Okolo, Michael Cherry; first time race contested in a global title meet).
SCHEDULE
August 2: Round One, 1:10 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time.
August 3: Final, 2:55 p.m.
OUTLOOK
Based on the results from last year and the first part of this season, the United States, Netherlands, and Ireland would appear to be the three squads most apt to battle for the gold medal in this event that was first held at the global championship level in the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. The U.S. won that inaugural title race by more than two seconds, but the three races since then have all been decided in the final 50 meters of each contest. Last year’s race in Budapest, Hungary, was particularly dramatic as Femke Bol of the Netherlands, previously known for coming from behind to overtake people in the home straightaway of 4 x 400 events, crashed to the track in the final 10 meters of the contest as hard-charging American Alexis Holmes was bearing down on her. While the U.S. team of Justin Robinson, Rosey Effiong, Matthew Boling, and Holmes won the race in a world record of 3:08.80, Bol crossed the finish line in third place after scrambling to her feet. However, she and her teammates were disqualified because she did not have a baton in her hand after dropping it as she fell. While a U.S. squad of Boling, Lynna Irby-Jackson, Willington Wright, and Kendall Ellis ran 3:10.73 in defeating the second-place Netherlands (3:11.45) and third-place Ireland (3:11.53) for the World Athletics Relays title in May, Ireland clocked a national record and yearly world-leading time of 3:09.92 in beating runner-up Italy (3:10.69) and third-place Netherlands (3:10.73) for the European title in June. While the U.S. does not typically run what it regards as it top three male or female 400 sprinters in the mixed relay, the Dutch teams have included Bol and Lieke Klaver, its top two 400 performers, in each of the past three global championships. And Ireland has become a major player this year because Rhasidat Adeleke, who has run 49.07 out of the blocks, and Sharlene Mawdsley, the country’s No. 2 quarter-miler who had a 49.40 split in the European Championships, have handled the second and fourth legs for the Irish. In addition to the four teams mentioned above, the Nos. 5-10 positions on the yearly world lists are currently held by Belgium at 3:11.03, Kenya at 3:11.88, the Bahamas at 3:12.81, Nigeria and India, each at 3:12.87, and Great Britain at 3:12.99. The British were the silver medalists in last year’s World Championships.
MARATHON RACE WALK MIXED RELAY
Olympic Record: First time being held.
World leader: Italy, 2:56:45 (Francisco Fortunato, Valentina Trapletti).
SCHEDULE
August 7: Final, 1:30 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time.
OUTLOOK
This event, which takes the place of the long-running men’s 50-kilometer walk in the Olympic program, will feature 25 teams in which one man and one woman will each walk two legs of a little more than 10 kilometers, with the order being man-woman-man-woman. Australia, China, Colombia, Japan, and Spain will each have two teams in the race that will be contested over a loop course that is located at the base of the Eiffel Tower. An Italian team of Francisco Fortunato and Valentina Trapletti won the event in 2 hours 56 minutes 45 seconds when it was held for the first time in the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Atalya, Turkey, in April after entering the race as their country’s No. 2 squad. Japan finished second in 2:57:04, followed by Spain in third in 2:57:47, Mexico in fourth in 2:59:21, and Brazil in fifth in 2:59:55. Although the composition of the teams for Paris are still being finalized, it would not be a surprise if the medal-contending squads come from China, Japan, Italy, Spain, Mexico, or Brazil, based on the talent that those countries possess in the men’s and women’s 20-kilometer event. While Trapletti and Fortunato are listed as potential members of Italy’s entry in Paris, so are Massimo Stano and Antonella Palmisano, who are the defending Olympic men’s and women’s champions, respectively, in the 20-kilometer walk.