Tebogo slams USA's decision to snub World Relays rematch in Gaborone
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 19.03.26. | 10:28
Many fans have questioned the move as the federation will still send teams for the other four relay events: Mixed 4×100m, Mixed 4×400m, Men’s 4×100m, and Women’s 4×100m
USA will not send men’s or women’s 4×400m teams to the 2026 World Relays in Gaborone set for 2 and 3 May, citing difficulty securing top-tier athletes and the financial cost of sending non-A teams.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
The announcement, made on Wednesday, 18 March has caused an uproar from fans, and athletes alike, who had anticipated the rivalry between the hosts and the Americans, especially in the men's 4×400 after the two nations split wins in dramatic fashion at the 2024 Olympics and 2025 World Championships.
“It is difficult for us to find top-tier US athletes who want to go. A lot of our A-team athletes have expressed that they are not interested in competing in this event," Jay Holder, USATF Chief Content and Communications Officer says.
“Financial costs of sending B or even C teams to Botswana is really significant. We just feel like there’s potentially a better use of resources for programming for those relay teams that we can drive those funds towards for our medal goals for 2027 and 2028," he further explains.
With the meeting serving as the primary qualification event for the 2026 World Ultimate Championships mixed relays (top six) and the 2027 World Championships where the top 12 qualify per event, USATF says it is confident the 4×400 teams can qualify via world rankings.
Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo took to social media after USA announcement to question the decision.
“First, we took the 4×400m gold right out of their hands in Tokyo last year. Now, they’re unable to show up to the 2026 World Relays in our own backyard?"
The World champion was referring to USA's defeat at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo where Botswana put its stamp on the international arena. In the gold medal race, the 4x400m relay team of Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi overtook the race in heavy rain and finished in a time of 2:57.76. The U.S. was only 0.07 seconds slower at 2.57.83, and South Africa also timed 2:57.83.
At the 2024 Olympics, the showdown between Rai Benjamin and Tebogo on the anchor leg was worth remembering. Benjamin ran 43.1 seconds to Tebogo’s 43.0, helping the U.S claim gold in 2:54.43, just 0.1 seconds ahead of Botswana’s 2:54.53.
Interestingly, USA Track and Field will still send teams for the other four relay events: Mixed 4×100m, Mixed 4×400m, Men’s 4×100m, and Women’s 4×100m.
