GUANGZHOU, China — Italy, Canada and Jamaica reached the mixed 4×100-meter relay final in the event’s global debut while the United States experienced varied fortunes on a dramatic opening day at the World Athletics Relays on Saturday.
Victory in 41.15 seconds in the first heat amid challenging conditions in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou following a spell of rain earned the Italians a place in the medal round to be held Sunday.
They will be joined by France, which finished second in 41.28 seconds, while the U.S. — the prerace favorite — saw its hopes of advancing fade when Jada Mowatt and Kendal Williams botched their baton exchange during the second changeover.
Jamaica’s mixed sprint quartet clocked 41.04 seconds to edge out Britain by a hundredth of a second in the next heat. Jamaica could deploy three-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and former world champion Yohan Blake in the final.
Canada crossed the line in a scorching 40.90 seconds to second-place Australia’s 41.15 seconds in the third heat to send out a warning to its rivals.
The Americans made up for their error by easing into the mixed 4x400m final, also sealing their spot in the event at the world championships in Tokyo in September.
The world-record holders will be joined in the Guangzhou final by Belgium, Australia, Ireland, Britain and South Africa, Kenya and Poland.
Spain went quickest in the women’s 4×100 relay ahead of Jamaica and Belgium, clocking 42.18 seconds, while South Africa dominated the men’s event with Akani Simbine anchoring his team to a joint world-leading time of 37.84 seconds.
Japan, which was assured of a place at worlds as the host, matched South Africa’s effort in their heat to finish in front of Olympic champions Canada.
The U.S. women’s team shrugged off the increasingly damp conditions to top the timings in the 4×400 race, while the men’s quartet was third in its heat and will have to wait until Sunday to book its spot at worlds.
South Africa’s men were quickest again in that event with a world leading time of exactly three minutes.
