USA cite finances as one of reasons for withdrawing from World Athletics Relays
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 25.03.26. | 16:52
The decision marks a significant shift for the United States, which has historically entered teams in every event at the World Relays
The United States has explained reasons for withdrawing its men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams from the upcoming World Athletics Relays 2026.
The athletics powerhouse cited financial constraints and lack of interest from top athletes.
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USA Track & Field (USATF) confirmed that while it will still field teams in four events, men’s and women’s 4x100m, as well as mixed 4x100m and mixed 4x400m relays, it will not participate in the traditional 4x400m races at the Gaborone meet scheduled for Saturday, 2 to Sunday, 3 May.
The decision marks a significant shift for the United States, which has historically entered teams in every event at the World Relays, only missing the 2021 edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to USATF Chief Content and Communications Officer Jay Holder, the move was influenced by both logistical and strategic considerations.
“It is difficult for us to find top-tier US athletes who want to go. A lot of our A-team athletes have expressed that they are not interested in competing in this event,” Holder told LetsRun.com.
“And then the financial costs of sending B or even C teams to Botswana are really significant. We just feel like there’s potentially a better use of resources,” he added.
The World Relays serve as a key qualification pathway for major global competitions, including the World Athletics Ultimate Championships and the 2027 World Championships.
The top six teams in mixed relays secure qualification for this year’s Ultimate Championships, while the top 12 teams across all events book their places for next year’s Worlds.
Despite opting out of the 4x400m events in Gaborone, USATF remains confident of qualification through alternative routes.
“We can set up pretty highly competitive relays at other meets, domestically, and that’s one of the things the USATF Tour helps us do, for much less cost.We’ll probably get a higher likelihood of athletes who are going to make up those [World Championship and Olympic] teams,” Holder said.
Recent performances appear to have also informed the decision.
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At the 2025 World Relays in China, the majority of top American 400m runners skipped the event.
The women’s team managed a silver medal behind Spain but clocked 3:24.72, well below the 3:16.61 they posted at the World Championships just four months later.
Notably, none of the athletes from that relay squad featured at the World Championships or ranked among the top 12 in the national 400m standings that year.
On the men’s side, only Khaleb McRae progressed from the World Relays squad to the World Championships team, highlighting the disconnect between relay selections and elite performers.
The US men also failed to reach the final in China.
The absence of the American 4x400m teams is a blow to one of the most anticipated rivalries in global sprinting, particularly involving hosts Botswana.
Fans had been hoping for another chapter in the growing contest between the two nations following their dramatic exchanges in recent years.
Botswana, the reigning world champions in the men’s 4x400m, famously edged the United States in a thrilling showdown in Tokyo, reversing the result from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where the Americans had taken gold.
Previous encounters at the 2023 World Championships and 2024 World Relays were marred by disqualifications, leaving the rivalry finely poised.
With the score tied at 1-1, the next opportunity for a decisive clash will now have to wait until at least 2027.