Australia smashes 42-year-old 4x400m record to claim bronze at World Athletics Relays

Key facts

• Australian men's 4x400m team clocked 2:55.20 in the final on May 3, 2026, to win bronze.
• The time broke the previous national record of 2:59.70 set at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
• The quartet of Luke van Ratingen, Reece Holder, Thomas Reynolds and Aidan Murphy finished third behind Botswana and South Africa.
• In qualifying, the team ran 2:57.30, also a national record, beating Botswana in their heat.
• Australia qualified six relay teams for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.
• Jamaica set a world record of 39.62 seconds in the mixed 4x100m relay.
• The men's 4x100m team finished fourth in 38.00 seconds, just outside the medals.
• Australia's mixed 4x400m team set a national record of 3:10.57 in qualifying.

Bronze and a national record in Gaborone

Australia's men's 4x400m relay team delivered a historic performance at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, on May 3, 2026, winning the bronze medal with a national record of 2:55.20. The quartet of Luke van Ratingen, Reece Holder, Thomas Reynolds and Aidan Murphy finished third behind hosts Botswana and South Africa, lifting Australia to fourth on the all-time world list. The time shattered the previous Australian record of 2:59.70, which had stood since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. The team had already broken that mark in the qualifying round, clocking 2:57.30 to beat Botswana in their heat and set the fastest time across all three heats.

A taunt that backfired

The qualifying heat was marked by a moment of tension when Botswana's Collen Kebinatshipi taunted Australian runner Matthew Hunt as they raced down the straight for the final baton handover. Kebinatshipi moved up on the outside of Hunt and turned to stare him down, but the gesture backfired when he and teammate Bayapo Ndori botched their final exchange. The brief momentum halt allowed Aidan Murphy to charge out to a five-metre lead, winning the heat by 0.22 seconds. "It was so surreal and such a vibe out there," Holder said of the atmosphere. "To come out and win a medal and do a time like that is pretty incredible."

Three national records fall on opening day

The opening day of the championships saw three Australian records fall. The men's 4x400m team set the first with their 2:57.30 in qualifying, then improved it in the final. The mixed 4x400m team of Cooper Sherman, Ellie Beer, Thomas Reynolds and Mia Gross clocked 3:10.57, lowering the previous Australian record of 3:12.20 set at last year's championships. They advanced to both the final and the 2027 World Athletics Championships. "That was one of the coolest experiences that I have ever been a part of," Gross said. "Tom Reynolds has been saying this entire week that we are going to break the Australian record. We knew that we could do it, but to do it by that much and with such a great team, it's amazing." The men's 4x100m team equalled the national record of 37.87 seconds set last year, finishing third in their heat to qualify for the final and the world championships.

Missing stars but rising depth

Australia's strong showing came despite the absence of two of its fastest men: emerging talent Gout Gout and California-based Eddie Nketia sat out the event. The men's 4x100m team of Lachlan Kennedy, Joshua Azzopardi, Christopher Ius and Rohan Browning finished fourth in the final in 38.00 seconds, just outside the medals behind the United States, South Africa and Germany. "We wanted to make the final and came wanting a medal, so to get so close is disappointing," Ius said. "But to show the rest of the world what we can do is such a good thing, and I think we are improving every year which is exciting."

Jamaica dominates with world record

Established track power Jamaica stamped their dominance in the mixed 4x100m relay, winning in a world record time of 39.62 seconds. They had become the first nation to break the 40-second barrier in the qualifying round. The performance underscored the gap between traditional athletics powers and emerging nations like Australia, but Australian athletics chiefs were thrilled with their contingent's less splashy gains. Australia qualified six relay teams for next year's world championships in Beijing, a sign of the country's growing depth in relay events. "Everyone is feeling unreal! The team is strong and the time has always been there, it's just about getting the race done," Holder said. "We're still a young team and we have many years to come, so we'll just be lowering that time down. All I can say right now is – we're hot."

What comes next for Australian relay teams

With six relay teams qualified for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, Australia has set a solid foundation for future success. The men's 4x400m team, in particular, has emerged as a genuine world title contender, having posted the fastest qualifying time and then backing it up with a bronze medal and national record in the final. The team's youth — Holder noted they have "many years to come" — suggests further improvements are likely. The mixed 4x400m and men's 4x100m teams also showed they can compete at the highest level, with the latter finishing fifth fastest in qualifying. As Australia continues to develop its relay programs, the gap to traditional powers like Jamaica and the United States may narrow.

The bottom line

• Australia's men's 4x400m team broke a 42-year-old national record to win bronze at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone.
• The quartet of van Ratingen, Holder, Reynolds and Murphy ran 2:55.20, the fourth-fastest time in history.
• Three Australian records fell on the opening day: men's 4x400m, mixed 4x400m, and men's 4x100m equalled its mark.
• Australia qualified six relay teams for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.
• The team's success came without two of its fastest male sprinters, highlighting growing depth.
• Jamaica set a world record in the mixed 4x100m, but Australia's steady improvement signals a rising force in relays.