4 x 100m relays at 2022 World Athletics Championships: final, schedule, times, favourites, records
The heats of the men’s 4x100 relay have arrived and they promise to be a ‘doozy,’ so let’s get right into what you need to know before they get off and running.
As always, the 4x100 relay will bring with it plenty of high-octane drama and even more so this year, when we consider the depth of talent that will be on show when race time comes on Friday evening.
Team U.S.A. look like favorites
Coming into the race, one could be forgiven for thinking that the United States is a sure bet for gold in the men’s 4x100m at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. The American team is loaded with speedsters. Indeed, Team U.S.A. boast three of the world’s five fastest men in 2022. Led by US champion Fred Kerley, the only man to run sub 9.80 this year - on two occasions - with a 9.76 in the semifinals at the US Championships and a 9.77 in the final, they will definitely be liking their chances. Kerley is joined by Trayvon Bromell (9.81 SB), Marvin Bracy (9.85 SB) and Elijah Hall (9.90 SB).
Great Britain could be a problem
While the Americans look to be favored by the bookies, it would be naive to believe their unbeatable. This brings us to Great Britain, who it must be said should feel pretty fine with a pair of elite runners in Zharnel Hughes (10.05) who was the third-place finisher in the individual 100m at the UK Championships and UK 200m champion, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (10.10). In case you forgot, both men were part of the 4x100m European record-setting team in the 2019 World Championships.
Noisy Neighbors: Canada has a shot
Though some were shocked when Canada claimed the silver medal in the event at last year’s Olympics, those in the know quite likely saw it coming. With Andre De Grasse leading the way and Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney following suit, the men from up north are most definitely a team to be respected. Indeed, De Grasse himself is fresh off of his first global medal after winning gold in the 200m in Tokyo, but after a foot injury and then a bout of covid-19, it will be interesting to see if the Canadian’s talisman can perform at his best once again.
Jamaica looks to remind us of their greatness
In the last two major global championships, Jamaica failed to make the podium. Ironically, that’s exactly the reason why you can expect the men from the Caribbean Island nation to give everything they have in this highly anticipated event. What’s more is it looks like they may have the team to win it all. Veteran Yohan Blake (9.85) appears to be peaking at just the right time, having run sub-10 in his last three individual races and currently tied for the third-fastest time this year. Then we have his training partner, Ackeem Blake (9.93) who has been equally impressive this year, finishing third at the Jamaican Championships with a personal best. The duo will be joined by Jamaican Championships runner-up Oblique Seville, Kemar Bailey-Cole, Conroy Jones and Jelani Walker.
Who’s in the men’s 4x100m relay?
| LANE | BIB | COUNTRY |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GER | Germany |
| 2 | NGR | Nigeria |
| 3 | JPN | Japan |
| 4 | GBR | Great Britain |
| 5 | CHN | People’s Republic of China |
| 6 | NED | Netherlands |
| 7 | USA | United States of America |
| 8 | GHA | Ghana |
How to watch the men’s 4x100m relay?
Set for Friday, July 22nd, the men’s 4x100m heats have a starting time of 6:05 p.m. local time (Oregon). If you’d like to watch on TV then you can find them on NBC - the exclusive rights holders - USA Network and CNBC. If you’d prefer to stream, you can find the race on Peacock and the NBC Sports website. If you’re watching in Canada then be sure to check out CBC, but if you’re across the pond in the UK then be sure to go with BBC Sport.