A look into the star-studded fields for the World Athletics Relays

The world’s fastest athletes are converging in Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, for the 2025 World Athletics Relays, scheduled for Saturday, 10 to Sunday, 11 May. This promises to be one of the most competitive editions in history.

With qualification for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on the line, this high-stakes showdown will be the first time the event is staged in China, following past editions in the Bahamas, Japan, and Poland.

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A total of 730 athletes from 43 countries will light up the track.

Mozzart Sport looks at some of the athletes looking to rewrite history in Guangzhou.

Unfortunately, African sprint giants Nigeria will not compete in this year’s event. This is after the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria denied the athletes' visas. Nigeria’s squad would include world 100m hurdles record holder Tobi Amusan and promising sprinter Favour Ofili, while Udodi Onwuzurike, the reigning U20 world 200m champion, was to lead the men.

Kenya wins Kids' Athletics Day challenge

With that absence, their fellow Africans, Kenya, have been tasked with flying the continent’s flag high.

The Kenyans are upping their sprint game with Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man. Omanyala will be looking to bounce back from a devastating Shanghai Diamond League, where he faded off to a seventh-place finish.

In one of the major highlights, Omanyala will compete against his brother Issac Omurwa, adding a layer of excitement to the competition. The likes of Zablon Ekwam and Boniface Mweresa are all in the party.

800m world champion Mary Moraa, who was targeting a historic relay breakthrough, has unfortunately withdrawn from the competition citing visa issues.

Reigning Olympic 4x100m champions Canada have assembled their full winning quartet from Paris 2024. The powerhouses are led by Andre de Grasse, who is seeking Canada’s first-ever World Relays crown. He will be joined by Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, and Brendon Rodney, who are all in red-hot form.

Meanwhile, defending champions USA are fielding a fearsome lineup featuring Kenny Bednarek, unbeaten on the Grand Slam Track circuit, and world medalist Erriyon Knighton.

South Africa will be eager to build on their Olympic silver medal in the 4x100m, with Akani Simbine, Bayanda Walaza, and Bradley Nkoana leading their charge. Wayde van Niekerk returns in the men’s 4x400m relay, aiming to bring the magic back after a solid performance last year behind Botswana, who have since withdrawn.

Simbine hails "big name" Ferdinand Omanyala for rise of sprinting in Africa

Jamaica, boasting incredible depth, will have Shericka Jackson anchoring their women’s 4x100m bid, while Kishane Thompson, Ackeem Blake, and Yohan Blake fly the flag in the men’s ranks.

Great Britain will lean on 60m world indoor champion Jeremiah Azu and Olympian Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, while Italy is hoping to revive the Olympic gold magic with Lorenzo Patta, Filippo Tortu, and European champ Roberto Rigali.

Australia sends its rising stars Lachlan Kennedy and Torrie Lewis, both eager to test themselves against the world’s best, while South Africa will also look to repeat their 4x400m silver success with a familiar and formidable squad.

New format promises edge-sitting action

The competition format is straightforward but unforgiving. On day one, the top two teams in each of the four heats across the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m will punch their tickets to both the finals on Sunday and the 2025 World Championships.

Those who do not qualify on the first try will get another shot in the repechage round introduced last year in the Bahamas, where the top two in each of three heats will also earn a berth to Tokyo.

Team Kenya banking on experience in Guangzhou with World Championship slots on the line