Jamaica made athletics history at the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 in Botswana, becoming the first-ever mixed 4x100m relay team to break the 40-
Jamaica made athletics history at the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 in Botswana, becoming the first-ever mixed 4x100m relay team to break the 40-second barrier.
The quartet, consisting of Ackeem Blake, Tina Clayton, Kadrian Goldson, and Tia Clayton, blazed to a stunning world record time of 39.99 seconds in the third heat, setting a new global benchmark.
This dominant performance came on the opening day of the competition, immediately establishing Jamaica as the team to beat.
The record-breaking run was part of a thrilling day of competition in Gaborone, where Canada had already set a new world record of 40.07 seconds in the first heat, only to see their record broken by Jamaica just two heats later.
Utilising the new man-woman-man-woman running order, Jamaica showed superior chemistry and speed, with Tia Clayton anchoring the team to the historic sub-40-second finish.
The remarkable heat also saw Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and Nigeria all run faster than the previous world best of 40.30, highlighting the extreme speed of the day.
This historic performance in Botswana ensures Jamaica’s top standing in the mixed relay event and confirms their place in the Sunday final.
It also secures the team’s automatic qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, serving as a massive boost for their long-term competition goals.
The event, held for the first time in Africa, was immediately marked by this historic leap in the 4x100m mixed event.
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