WU20: Mixed relay guns off action at Kasarani

As Nairobi hosts the World Under-20 Athletics Championship at Kasarani, the exciting 4x400m race which proved to be a popular addition to World Under-18 and senior championships in recent years opens action at 9 AM on Wednesday 18 August. 

Fans watching from home will reminisce scenes from the 2017 World Under-18 mixed relay semi-final when Mary Moraa, the anchor leg for Team Kenya in the event engaged in an epic battle with the now Olympics 400m hurdles bronze medalist Alison do Santos to bring the baton home in first place. 

As the race makes its debut in the Under-20 championship, Kenya is up against eleven other teams with Italy leading the charge for gold with a personal best time of 2:58.81 and a season’s best of 3:07.13. 

With the changes effected after the championship was postponed to begin on 18 August, a day late than it was initially planned, the heats are scheduled for the morning session with the final set for the evening session. Initially, the heats were set to be held on day one and the final on the evening of day two. 

With the heats of the individual men’s and women’s 400m races coming after the relay heats during the morning session of the opening day, some teams may be hesitant to draft their best one-lap runners into the relay team. 

Nevertheless, the likes of Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Poland are tipped to have enough depth to field competitive teams for all relays as well as the individual 400m events. 

Jamaica and South Africa took silver and bronze respectively at the 2017 World U18 Championships, also held in Nairobi. Poland, meanwhile, won the inaugural mixed relay at the recent Olympic Games, which could provide inspiration for the younger counterparts. Kenya has also often performed above expectation in mixed relay events in recent years.