Kenya, Jamaica and US Target World Records at Inaugural IAAF World Relays

Published by Inside the Games on May 19, 2014

Kenyan, Jamaican and US athletes will seek to break long-standing world records next weekend (May 24-25) at the inaugural International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Relays in Nassau, capital of the Bahamas. 

A total prize fund of $1.4 million (£830,000/€1 million) has attracted about 600 of the world's leading athletes to the newly re-built Thomas Robinson stadium, with $50,000 (£30,000/€37,000) bonuses on offer for new best marks in a range of relays from 100 metres to 1,500m.

Kenya's women set a new world best of 17 minutes 05.72 seconds at last month's national trials in Nairobi and have vowed to lower that mark in the Caribbean, while Kenya's men, including double world 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop, are seeking to lower the 4x1,500m world record of 14min 36.23sec set by their fellow countrymen in Brussels five years ago.

Meanwhile, Jamaica's sprinters, who will include 2011 world 100m champion Yohan Blake, have announced that they will be targeting the world record in the men's 4x200m in Nassau, where they will most likely be pushed all the way by a strong US quartet, including world bronze medallist Curtis Mitchell.

The Kenyan women's hopes rest on a strong squad of five in the 4x1,500m, which includes three of the women who set the current world best mark, Mercy Cherono, Irene Jelagat and Ann Karindi Mwangi. 

They are supplemented with the talents of Faith Kipyegon and Hellen Obiri.

"I would be delighted to win another gold medal for my country since competing for my nation at every opportunity is my motivation," Kiprop, whose colleagues will include Silas Kiplagat and Nixon Chepseba, said.

"With the squad we have, then a world record in the [4x1,500m] relay is possible since we have all run under 3:32.