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Sha’Carri Richardson, Noah Lyles among stars missing from US entry list for World Relays
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Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 22.04.26. | 16:09
Their omission from the Botswana-bound squad has raised eyebrows, coming at a time when both appeared to be in peak form
The United States has released its entry list for the upcoming World Athletics Relays Gaborone 2026, slated for Friday, 2 to Saturday, 3 May.
While the squad still boasts depth, the absence of some of its biggest sprint stars has quickly become the main talking point.
Fresh from impressive performances at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, both Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson are missing from the roster, just days after leading Team USA to dominant 4x100m victories.
Lyles anchored the men’s team to a world-leading 37.78 seconds, while Richardson powered the women to a 41.70 finish.
Their omission from the Botswana-bound squad has raised eyebrows, coming at a time when both appeared to be in peak form.
In the men’s 4x100m, the USA will rely on Pjai Austin, Ronnie Baker, Brandon Carnes, Kyree King, and Courtney Lindsey.
The absence of Lyles and Christian Coleman is particularly striking when compared to last year’s golden lineup at the World Athletics Championships 2025.
That team, featuring Coleman, Fred Kerley, Lindsey, and Lyles, stormed to gold in 37.29 seconds, with only Lindsey returning this time around.
Lyles’ absence is not entirely unprecedented. The Olympic champion similarly skipped the 2025 edition of the World Relays before returning later in the season at the Monaco Diamond League.
However, the simultaneous omission of Richardson adds a new layer of intrigue on the women’s side.
The women’s 4x100m squad sees a generational shift, with Semira Killebrew, Jadyn Mays, Samirah Moody, and Jada Mowatt named.
This marks a significant departure from the gold medal-winning quartet at the 2025 World Championships, which included Richardson, Tamari Davis, Twanisha Terry, and Gabrielle Thomas.
Elsewhere, the mixed 4x100m relay squad features Max Thomas, Elija Godwin, Paris Peoples, and E’Lexis Hollis.
Meanwhile, relay depth extends into the 4x400m pool, with Ryce Deadmon, Brian Faust, Lance Lang, and Jenoah McKiver listed, alongside Karimah Davis and Bailey Lear on the women’s side.
Yet even these selections come with a caveat.
Earlier this year, on March 18, USA Track & Field announced it would not send full men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams to Gaborone, citing athlete availability, travel costs, and a strategic focus on the 2027–2028 cycle.
The changes arrive against the backdrop of recent relay inconsistencies.
At the previous edition of the World Relays, Team USA narrowly missed out on gold in the men’s 4x100m, clocking 37.66 seconds behind South Africa’s winning 37.61.
The disappointment echoed the heartbreak at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where a botched baton exchange between Coleman and Kenneth Bednarek led to a disqualification in the men’s 4x100m final.