
The IAAF on Wednesday confirmed that the following accomplishments have recently been ratified as new World Records.
Three events, two relays and the race walk discipline, have been approved this week and will be jotted down into the record books.
Heading the list are the men’s and women’s Distance medley relay marks, which were accomplished at the IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas in May.
The American team of Kyle Merber, Brycen Spratling, Brandon Johnson and Ben Blankenship set a new world record of 9:15.50 – improving the previous mark of 9:15.56, set by Kenya at the Penn Relays in 2006.
The United States’ women team also cut down the previous record on the female side.
A team including Treniere Moser, Sanya Richards-Ross, Ajee Wilson and Shannon Rowbury smashed the previous world best of 10:42.57 by recording a time of 10:36.50 at the IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas in May as well.
The old mark was set indoors by the United States in Boston earlier this year, with a squad of Sarah Brown, Mahagony Jones, Megan Krumpoch and Brenda Martinez.
Hong Liu of China posted a time of 1:24:38 to break the women’s 20km race walk world record. She set the standard in La Coruna, ESP in June.
World records
Men
Distance medley relay: 9:15.50 United States (Kyle Merber, Brycen Spratling, Brandon Johnson, Ben Blankenship) Nassau, BAH 2 May 15
Previous best: 9:15.56 Kenya (Elkanah Angwenyi, Thomas Musembi, Alfred Kirwa Yego, Alex Kipchirchir Rono) Philadelphia, USA 29 Apr 06
Women
Distance medley relay: 10:36.50 United States (Treniere Moser, Sanya Richards-Ross, Ajee Wilson, Shannon Rowbury) Nassau, BAH 3 May 15
Previous best: 10:42.57i United States (Sarah Brown, Mahagony Jones, Megan Krumpoch, Brenda Martinez) Boston, USA 7 Feb 15
20km race walk: 1:24:38 Hong Liu (CHN) La Coruna, ESP 6 Jun 15
Previous: 1:25:02 Elena Lashmanova (RUS) London, GBR 11 Aug 2012