Defending champion, the Dominican Republic, will start in the second heat of the mixed 4x400m relay on the opening day of the 2023 World Athletics Championships here in Budapest, Hungary, this Saturday morning (19).
Marileidy Paulino, the reigning world and Olympic 400m silver medalist, will be part of the Dominican lineup, but the returning champions will be without Fiordaliza Cofil. The Caribbean nation faces strong competition from the United States, last summer’s silver medalists in Oregon, and Great Britain & Northern Ireland, which has its sights set on a medal this year.
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“I think it’s a really important event because it’s a challenge,” sprinter Gabby Thomas told reporters on Friday.
“It’s a way to work with other team mates that typically you don’t get a chance to work with.
“The nature of the event is really exciting because you have new goals – we’re eyeing a world record – and that’s a great new challenge. As athletes we are always looking to push ourselves and challenge ourselves,” she added
The second heat of the mixed 4x400m relay in Budapest, meanwhile, will feature the Netherlands, the world silver medalists, which can call on the likes of Femke Bol and Lieke Klaver.
Jamaica, another Caribbean medal contender, will race in this heat, and the team bolstered by Rusheen McDonald, who recorded a time of 44.03 seconds earlier in the year and was a notable consideration for the open event. After finishing fifth at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, Jamaica is poised to vie for a podium position this year.
Elsewhere, the Czech Republic, the current world leader, will participate in the second heat, alongside Poland and Germany.
In the meantime, Italy, Belgium, and Kenya will compete in the first heat, joining the ranks of the USA and the Dominican Republic.
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The mixed 4x400m relay semifinal heats are scheduled for the morning session on the inaugural day of the World Athletics Championships 2023. The first heat is set to begin at 11:05 a.m. local Budapest time, translating to 5:05 a.m. ET.
The United States remains the record holder, both in world (WR) and championship (CR) categories, with a time of 3:09.34 established in Doha on 29 September 2019. On the other hand, the Czech Republic holds the distinction of the fastest time for 2023, registering 3:12.34 in Chorzów on 25 June.
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Mixed 4x400m relay – Heats and Start List
Heat 1 – 19 August 2023, START TIME 11:05 (local time)
- PORTUGAL – Season Best: 3:14.06, National Record: 3:14.06
- IRELAND – Season Best: 3:12.88, National Record: 3:17.16
- BELGIUM – Season Best: 3:11.51, National Record: 3:12.97
- KENYA – Season Best: 3:14.64, National Record: 3:14.64
- ITALY – Season Best: 3:13.51, National Record: 3:13.56
- GREAT BRITAIN & NI – Season Best: 3:11.95, National Record: 3:14.22
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – Season Best: 3:09.82, National Record: 3:14.81
- HUNGARY – Season Best: 3:17.42, National Record: 3:17.42
- UNITED STATES – Season Best: 3:09.34, National Record: 3:14.71
Heat 2 – 19 August 2023, START TIME 11:16 (local time)
- JAMAICA – Season Best: 3:11.76, National Record: 3:19.66
- POLAND – Season Best: 3:09.87, National Record: 3:12.87
- NETHERLANDS – Season Best: 3:09.90, National Record: 3:20.40
- SWITZERLAND – Season Best: 3:14.22, National Record: 3:14.22
- FRANCE – Season Best: 3:13.36, National Record: 3:13.36
- CZECH REPUBLIC – Season Best: 3:12.34, National Record: 3:12.34
- GERMANY – Season Best: 3:12.94, National Record: 3:14.00
- NIGERIA – Season Best: 3:13.60, National Record: 3:28.31
