Jamaica’s relay teams delivered a historic performance at the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26, highlighted by multiple world-record-breaking runs and successful qualification for major upcoming global championships.

Mixed 4x100m Relay: Back-to-Back World Records

Jamaica dominated the mixed 4x100m relay, a relatively new discipline that uses a man-woman-man-woman running order.

  • The Heats: On the opening day, Jamaica’s quartet of Ackeem Blake, Tina Clayton, Kadrian Goldson, and Tia Clayton became the first team in history to break the 40-second barrier, clocking 39.99 seconds. This performance immediately lowered the world record of 40.07 set by Canada just minutes earlier in a previous heat.
  • The Final: The same Jamaican team improved their record even further in the final, storming to gold with a blistering time of 39.62 seconds.
  • Qualifications: By winning the final, Jamaica secured an automatic spot for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest (September 2026) and the World Athletics Championships Beijing 27.

Women’s 4x100m Relay: Gold and Dominance

The Jamaican women’s 4x100m team continued their global dominance by securing gold in Gaborone.

  • Performance: Led by Elaine Thompson-Herah, who powered past Canada in the closing meters, the Jamaican quartet including Briana Williams, Jodean Williams and Lavanya Williams, won the final in a time of 42.00 seconds.
  • Qualification: The victory confirmed Jamaica’s qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

Mixed 4x400m Relay: National Record and Silver

In the mixed 4x400m relay, Jamaica produced a strong performance to finish on the podium.

  • Performance: Jamaica secured the silver medal with a national record time of 3:08.24, finishing behind a championship-record run by the United States.
  • Qualification: This second-place finish guaranteed automatic qualification for both the Ultimate Championship in Budapest and the World Championships in Beijing.

All-Time Legacy

Jamaica’s success in Gaborone further solidified its position as a global relay powerhouse. In the World Relays all-time medal table, Jamaica remains a top contender with a total of 24 medals: 7 gold, 10 silver, and 7 bronze.