World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24: Preview, schedule, track stars to watch and how to follow the event live

Athletes to watch at World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24

All eyes on Noah Lyles, Marcell Jacobs in the 4x100m

Triple world champion Lyles, who anchored the 4x100m relay team U.S. to gold at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, returns to the World Relays seeking his first title after two silvers from past editions.

He was part of the silver-winning teams, both in the 4x100m in 2019 and the 4x200m when he made his debut at the World Relays two years prior.

With a treble in sight at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the 26-year-old’s target in the Bahamas will be to lead Team USA to the 4x100m gold.

Lyles will be joined by fellow Tokyo 2020 medallist, Kenny Bednarek, along with Courtney Lindsey, the fastest man at 200m this year.

It will also be exciting to see how the Olympic and European champion Jacobs performs in the Bahamas. He hasn’t competed in a relay since winning silver behind the Lyles-led Team USA in Budapest in the 4x100m.

The Italian quartet should remain unchanged from the lineup at the last World championships, featuring Roberto Rigali, and Olympic champs Lorenzo Patta and Filippo Tortu.

World indoor bronze medallist Ackeem Blake has been included in Jamaica’s team, which notably lacks world and Olympic gold medallists Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, Shericka Jackson, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and even reigning 400m gold medallist Antonio Watson.

The sprint firepower of Kenya and South Africa is also expected to be on display at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

African 100m record holder Omanyala leads his Kenyan team’s Olympic chase, while Simbine knows what he wants to achieve for South Africa after experiencing several individual setbacks at the world and Olympic level.

“I want South Africa to win,” Akani who’s just come off winning his seventh 100m title told World Athletics.

“We’ve had the worst luck when it comes to relays. We either don’t make the zone or drop it. It’s been very frustrating.”