Team Kenya eyeing Olympics qualification in Bahamas

Multiple global gold medalists, including Noah Lyles, Femke Bol and Bahamian stars Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Steven Gardiner and Devynne Charlton, will be among the athletes in action at the World Athletics Relays Bahamas on 4-5 May.

Team Kenya that is composed of athletes like African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala, the returning Mark Otieno in 100m relays, Mary Moraa who will compete in 400m Relays and the Olympic-bound duo of Zablon Ekwam and Boniface Mweresa have their eyes set on making the Summer Games.

The competition holds extra significance, as it is the main qualifying event for relay events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Debutant Cheptai, Koech complete Kenyan double in Hamburg with fast times

Competition takes place at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau.

The programme features five relay events; the Women’s 4x100m and 4x400m, Men’s 4x100m and 4x400m and Mixed 4x400m. 

One team per nation can compete in each event and a maximum of eight athletes can be entered for each team. 

Among those entered, any four athletes may then be used in the composition of each relay team apart from in the mixed 4x400m, where a maximum of six athletes (three men and three women) may be entered with a single substitution allowed after the first round.

If a team breaks a world record, a prize of US$50,000 (Approx Ksh 6.7 million) will be awarded, subject to record ratification.

The top 14 teams in each event at the event will automatically qualify for places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

The remaining two places in each discipline will be awarded based on top lists during the qualification period (31 December 2022 to 30 June 2024).

Olympic places are up for grabs on both days of action in The Bahamas. On the first day, the top two teams in each heat will advance to the final on day two, while also securing their qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

In the finals on day two, teams will compete for prize money and obtain Olympic lane seeding positions.

All other teams will compete on day two in the additional round where the top two teams in each heat will also qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The top eight teams in each event will be awarded the following prize money:

1st US$40,000 (Ksh 5.4 million) 

2nd US$20,000 (Ksh 2.7 million)

3rd US$10,000 (Ksh 1.3 million) 

4th US$8000 (Ksh 1 million) 

5th US$6000 (Ksh 810,000) 

6th US$4000 (Ksh 540,000)

7th US$3000 (Ksh 405, 000)

8th US$2000 (Ksh 270,000)