Resurgent Australian sprinting squad targets Paris qualification at World Athletics Relay Championships

Australia is poised for a breakthrough campaign at the World Athletics Relay Championships next weekend in the Bahamas, fueled by a significant commitment by athletes to the relay program, and a rise in sprinting talent focused on the relentless pursuit of Olympic qualification.

Lining up alongside the best relay squads from across the globe, the green and gold contingent of 22 will be led by Australian Women’s 4x100m relay record holders Torrie Lewis (QLD), Bree Masters (QLD), Ella Connolly (NSW) and Ebony Lane (VIC), as four teams fight for a top-14 position to secure their spot for Paris in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

Despite a proud history of relay running, with Betty Cuthbert leading the country to its first Olympic gold in a relay event, Australia has not fielded more than two relay teams at an Olympics since Sydney 2000, with the home Games also the host of the last Women’s Olympic 4x100m team.

Although the Women’s 4x400m relay team contested Tokyo and Rio, and the Men’s 4x100m and 4x400m toed the line in Beijing, the squads heading to the Bahamas and aiming for Paris come with newfound depth.

Featuring on the in the Women’s 4x400m relay squad are two Olympians in Ellie Beer (QLD) and Bendere Oboya (VIC), while Tokyo Olympian Alex Beck (QLD) brings experience to the Men’s 4x400m team.

Australia’s newly crowned fastest man, 18-year-old Sebastian Sultana (NSW) joins the Men’s 4x100m relay squad alongside World Under 20 Championships bronze medallist Calab Law (QLD) and Australia’s fastest schoolgirl Olivia Dodds (WA), who has been selected for her first senior Australian team tour, learning from the strength of the Women’s 4x100m squad.

While a history-making challenge lies ahead, the excitement around the nation’s sprinting stocks is at an all-time high and the resurgence of relays symbolises a new era of camaraderie among Australian sprinters, with each united in their shared goal of securing a spot at the Paris Olympics.

“Track is an generally an individual sport and it’s so rare that we’re able to come together as a team. It’s something that we’ve really embraced and I think we all love the idea that we can all contribute to something really great,” Lewis said.

“This summer is the fastest that we’ve all been running individually and also as a team. It’s the same team from the World Championships last year, and while we didn’t do what we wanted to do there, we are hungrier to get the job done, and do what we know we can do.

“Our team deserves this, and getting to the Olympics will be a nice way to show the work that we’ve all been putting in together.”

Speaking from their pre-Championships staging camp in the Gold Coast, Beck said the mix of youth and experience on the team has also bolstered the energy of each team leading into the Bahamas.

“It’s a really exciting time because the team is young and hungry for a taste of international competition. The Men’s 4x400m team in particular has a storied history of success from the Silver Bullets in 2004, and our current team is filled with talent and the desire to leave their mark on the international stage,” Beck said.

“If we can all reproduce the form we have shown during the domestic season, then we know the team has the ability to match it with the best in the world and we are excited to earn our sport for the Paris Olympic Games.”

Athletics Australia General Manager, High Performance Andrew Faichney said he had the utmost confidence in each relay team, knowing the strength the individual athletes and their rapport.

“The performances we’ve seen by our relay athletes this summer were fantastic, highlighted by the Women’s 4x100m relay record at the Sydney Track Classic,” Faichney said.

“These performances from the relay program have come off the back of high commitment from our sprinters through the multiple camps, where our coaches have been focusing on their relay exchange skills and team cohesion.

“We’re really proud of how far these squads have come and with each of them primed after the Australian domestic season, we’re looking forward to seeing what they can do in the Bahamas and hopefully locking in their spots for Paris.”

The Gold Coast camp is generously supported by Commonwealth Games Australia’s Green2Gold2Great program and the City of Gold Coast. The team will depart the Gold Coast next week, and will arrive in the Bahamas following a short acclimitisation camp in Miami.

The World Athletics Relay Championships take place from May 4-5 and will be broadcast on the World Athletics Inside Track platform.

Australian Team for the 2024 World Athletics Relay Championships

Women’s 4x100m Team:

• Ella Connolly (NSW, Andrew Murphy)
• Bree Masters (QLD, Ryan Hoffman)
• Kristie Edwards (QLD, David Reid)
• Torrie Lewis (QLD, Andrew Iselin)
• Ebony Lane (VIC, Matt Carter)
• Olivia Dodds (WA, Lyn Foreman)

Women’s 4x400m Team:

• Alanah Yukich (WA, Jackie Richard)
• Ellie Beer (QLD, Brett Robinson)
• Bendere Oboya (VIC, Craig Mottram)
• Jemma Pollard (NSW, Tim Eschebach)
• Mikeala Selaidinakos (VIC, Steve Gaffney)

Men’s 4x100m Team:

• Jackson Rowe (NSW, Greg Smith)
• Sebastian Sultana (NSW, Greg Smith)
• Calab Law (QLD, Andrew Iselin)
• Jacob Despard (TAS, Rolf Ohman)
• Christopher Ius (NSW, Andrew Murphy)
• Joshua Azzopardi (NSW, Rob Marks)

Men’s 4x400m Team:

• Thomas Reynolds (VIC, Matt Oakley)
• Cooper Sherman (VIC, Neville Down)
• Alex Beck (QLD, Mark Ladbrook)
• Luke van Ratingen (NSW, Ben Liddy)
• Harrison Hunt (SA, Dylan Hicks)

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted 24 April, 2024