Saturday 04 May 2024 3:00 pm | Updated: Thursday 02 May 2024 4:18 pm

Team GB can set Olympics marker at World Athletics relays championships

By: Matt Hardy

Deputy Sports Editor - Morning Wire

Athletics - Olympics: Day 15 — TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 07: Bronze medal winners Asha Philip, Imani Lansiquot, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita of Team Great Britain stand on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women’s 4 x 100 Relay on on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 07, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

One of the most exhilarating athletics events in an Olympics track and field schedule, relays captivate the mind.

They’re fast, elegant and hold enough risk to keep viewers interested until the very end.

Great Britain have a mixed set of results at the Olympic games:

Men’s 4×100: 2 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze
Women’s 4×100: 0 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze
Men’s 4×400: 2 golds, 5 silver, 5 bronze
Women’s 4×400: 0 gold, 0 silver, 4 bronze

But the 4x100m women’s race is where the interest is.

Having never won a gold medal in the event and having picked up bronze medals in both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, could Paris 2024 be the special year?

They’re blessed with a brilliant array of relay specialists and, at the Olympics rather than the relay championships, can parachute in the likes of Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita.

They’ve gone close in the last to games but will have the firepower to compete with the likes of the United States, Jamaica and the Bahamas.

Varied squads

The relay championships are what they describe them as, an athletics meet solely for relay races.

Held this year in the Bahamas, with teams featured in the final given automatic spots at the Olympics.

Head of Sprints, hurdles and relays Darren Campbell said: “I am really pleased with the strength of the team that will be travelling to Nassau.

“The 4x400m squads have a 100% medal record from Budapest to uphold and this event is the first step towards that aim. Our lead 4x400m relay coach Martyn Rooney obviously has a lot of experience in bringing the best out of these teams and I’m looking forward to seeing those athletes step up at the Championships.

“The men’s 4x100m team were unlucky not to medal finishing 4th in Budapest but the team did incredibly well and have worked well over the winter.

“They have had their fair share of challenges in recent years, but I have had my own discussions with each and every member of the squad and know they are motivated, committed and focused on working together to reach Paris.

“The women’s 4x100m squad is incredibly fast and full of talent. I know as well as being focussed on making sure of Olympics qualification, they also want to lay their claim on those team slots for Paris.

“It’ll be great to see how they perform and with Dina and Daryll joining the squad later in the season, it will make competition for team places even tougher.”