Canada produced a sublime display in ideal sprinting conditions to outclass Jamaica and Britain en route to the inaugural mixed 4x100 metres relay gold on the final day of the World Athletics Relays on Sunday.
After setting the pace during the heats on a soggy Saturday in Guangzhou, where the event made its debut on the global stage, the Canadian quartet powered out of the blocks in the final and crossed the finish line in a season's best 40.30 seconds.
Strong runs by Sade McCreath, Marie-Eloise Leclair and Duan Asemota set up anchor Eliezer Adjibi to show his explosive pace in the final stretch, ensuring Canada left the southern Chinese city with the fastest time over two days of competition.
Canada take charge 🔥
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 11, 2025
They storm to victory in the inaugural mixed 4x100m final at the #WorldRelays, clocking 40.30 to edge out Jamaica and Great Britain 😤 pic.twitter.com/YJ0vS8UpH7
"I think this is a test and it shows how hard we work," an elated Asemota said.
"We had been to the relay camp, we all sacrificed so many weeks of the year to get this relay right. We showed it on the track and with this medal. We did it."
With pre-event favourites the United States absent from the final after fumbling their baton exchange in the heats, Jamaica took second in 40.44 seconds while Britain were third ahead of Australia, Italy and France, in 40.88 seconds.
The Americans defended their mixed 4x400m title and put down a marker before the world championships in Tokyo in September by winning with a championship-record time of 3:09.54, finishing in front of Australia and Kenya.
Championship record 🚨
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 11, 2025
🇺🇸 storms to mixed 4x400m victory at the #WorldRelays in 3:09.54, with a lightning fast 49.53 anchor leg from Lynna Irby-Jackson 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uqkGIwIDo2
Akani Simbine came up with a late burst of speed to anchor South Africa to victory in the men's 4x100m event, ensuring his team edged out the US and Canada with a world-leading effort of 37.61 seconds.
South Africa 4x100m victory 🏆
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 11, 2025
🇿🇦's Akani Simbine powers home on the anchor leg to clinch the win, beating 🇺🇸 at the #WorldRelays 🔥 pic.twitter.com/B5Vtfe8zyD
There was more drama earlier as Jamaica's men's 4x100m team failed to book a place in Tokyo when a hamstring injury to Julian Forte in their second qualifying attempt proved costly, after they botched their baton exchange during Saturday's heat.
It was smooth sailing for a relatively inexperienced British team with Nia Wedderburn-Goodison, Amy Hunt, Bianca Williams and Success Eduan staving off Jamaica and the US to win the women's 4x100m race in 42.21 seconds, ahead of surprise package Spain who took second.
Success, nothing less 😍
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 11, 2025
Great Britain 🇬🇧 storm to women’s 4x100m victory in Guangzhou, with Success Eduan powering through on the anchor leg to seal the deal 😤#WorldRelays pic.twitter.com/7n1SNGBFzX
The Spanish 4x400m women's team stunned defending champions and Paris gold medallists the US with a time of 3:24.13, while South Africa sparkled in the men's event with a world-leading time of 2:57.50.
Y una más ‼️
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 11, 2025
🇪🇸's Blanca Hervás times her race to perfection to anchor her team's 4x400m relay to victory with a national record of 3:24.13 at the #WorldRelays 🔥 pic.twitter.com/lwdqY06EZS
Watch him whip, watch him Nene 🙌
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 11, 2025
All the glory went to 🇿🇦 in the men's 4x400m with Zakithi Nene running a blistering 43.64 anchor leg to secure a world-leading 2:57.50 at #WorldRelays 🚀 pic.twitter.com/D7fXBVwXhh