U.S. Gets Job Done In Bahamas, Advances All Five Relays To Paris

By David Woods for DyeStat

Photos courtesy Francesca Grana for World Athletics

Before last August’s World Championships in Budapest, Gabby Thomas suggested she could win four gold medals. Did not happen.

At the Paris Olympics, it could.

Thomas, a 27-year-old Harvard graduate, won two golds just 20 minutes apart Sunday to highlight a perfect night for the United States in the World Athletics Relays at Nassau, Bahamas.

Also, Noah Lyles was credited with an anchor 100 meters of 8.88 seconds en route to American gold in the men’s 4x100 relay.

It is plausible Thomas, the silver medalist in the 200 meters at 2023 Worlds, could upgrade to gold. She is the 2024 world leader with a time of 22.08. And she remains in the mix at 100 meters.

Additionally, Thomas could be slotted into three relays: mixed 4x400, 4x100, 4x400. At Budapest, she won one gold, in the 4x100. She was pulled from the mixed relay, and the United States was disqualified in heats of the 4x400.

In the Bahamas 4x100, Tamari Davis, Thomas, Celera Barnes and Melissa Jefferson set a championship record of 41.85. The first exchange, from Davis to Thomas, was imperfect but didn’t matter in the end.

The United States won the women’s 4x400 for a fourth straight World Relays in 3:21.70. The foursome was Quanera Hayes, 51.16; Thomas, 49.58; Bailey Lear, 51.33; Alexis Holmes, 49.63.

If the Paris lineup were to be picked now, it would be Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Thomas, Holmes, and a woman to be determined.

In the Bahamas men’s 4x100, Courtney Lindsey, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King and Lyles combined for 37.40, just .02 off the championship record from 2015.

In the mixed 4x400, Matthew Boling (45.11), Lynna Irby-Jackson (50.10), Willington Wright (45.18) and Kendall Ellis (50.10) set a championship record of 3:10.72. The Netherlands, anchored by Femke Bol’s 49.63, was second in 3:11.45. Ireland, with former NCAA champion Rhasidat Adeleke running a 48.45 second leg, was third in a national record of 3:11.53.

In the last of five finals, Botswana won the men’s 4x400 in 2:59.11, featuring legs by Letsile Tebogo (43.72) and Bayapo Ndori (44.13).

The United States advanced to Paris in all five relays, despite a gaffe Saturday night.

The Americans won their heat in the first round but were disqualified. Champion Allison, after being placed in third position before an exchange, moved to the inside and displaced two runners. The same U.S. team – Jacory Patterson, Allison, Christopher Bailey, Bryce Deadmon -- easily won in the second round, clocking 2:59.95.

Oddly, the Americans haven’t won the men’s 4x400 at World Relays since 2017.

Since the World Relays began in 2014, the United States has competed in 43 races. It has won 60%, medaled in 81% and been disqualified or failed to finish in 19%, according to @TeamUSATracker.

Round 2 recap: Fahnbulleh, Liberia advance

In round 2, top two from each of three sections in each relay made it to Paris.

Most extraordinary anchor was by Joseph Fahnbulleh, who carried Liberia from fifth to second (38.65) in the men’s 4x100. Liberia was .005 ahead of non-qualifying Switzerland, 38.645 to 38.650.

Fahnbulleh, raised in Hopkins, Minn., won an NCAA sprint double for Florida in 2022. He has been on the world stage so long, it’s easy to forget he is 22.

“It means the world having Liberia on the big stage with more than me and (Emmanuel) Matadi,” he said.

Three of the six qualifiers – South Africa, Ghana, Liberia – represent Africa. Liberia last qualified in an Olympic men’s 4x100 at Sydney 2000, when 40 teams were allowed, rather than 16.

With Shaunae Miller-Uibo anchoring in 49.54, host Bahamas set a national record in the mixed 4x400 of 3:12.81, fastest of three heats. The Bahamas, led off by indoor hurdles record-holder Devynne Charlton, was fourth in a 4x100 heat.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.