World Athletics Relays 24: Australian women’s 4x100m team secures Paris 2024 quota

With the effort, the Australian quartet also bettered their own national record. In March, the same four had clocked 42.94 at the Sydney Track Classic to break the Australian record which stood for 24 years.

Saturday’s mark is also the new Oceania record in the event.

Interestingly, the quota also ensures Australia’s presence in the Olympic 4x100m event for the first time since Sydney 2000.

“I’m so speechless! I had full faith that we could do it, but we actually did it and it’s just wild,” Bree Masters said. “To have that automatic Olympic qualification is so, so exciting.

Unfortunately, though, none of the other Australian teams managed to obtain a quota on the opening day.

The men’s 4x100m relay team consisting of Sebastian Sultana, Jacob Despard, Calab Law and Joshua Azzopardi came agonisingly close, finishing third in their heat behind Canada and sprint powerhouses Jamaica. It was a photo finish between Jamaica and Australia, both of whom clocked in the 38.50 range.

Both the Australian men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams, meanwhile, finished fourth in their respective heats on the opening day and failed to make the finals. There’s no Australian team in the mixed 4x400m event.

Though the men’s 4x100m team and both the 4x400m teams missed their shot at an Olympic quota on Saturday, they will have another chance on Sunday. All teams who failed to make the finals will compete in an additional qualifying round and the top two teams from each heat will also qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.