Kenya’s 4x100m men's relay team secures spot at 2025 World Championships

The Kenya Men's Relay team celebrates (C) World Athletics

By Rama Mohammed
Sunday, May 11, 2025

Kenya’s 4x100m men’s relay team has qualified for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after a strong performance in the second round of the World Relay Championships in China.

Kenya’s men’s 4x100m relay team has qualified for the 2025 World Athletics Championships set for September 13–21 in Tokyo, Japan - their first appearance at the global event in over four decades.

The quartet of Ferdinand Omanyala, Boniface Mweresa, Meshack Babu and Steve Odhiambo finished second in their heat during Sunday’s second round of the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China. Odhiambo anchored the team to a time of 38.51 seconds, narrowly behind Belgium who clocked 38.49. The strong finish guaranteed automatic qualification after Kenya narrowly missed out in Saturday’s opening round.

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Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala celebrates in Guangzhou, China after leading 4X100 men's relay team to qualify for the 2025 World Athletics Championships to be held in Japan later in September this year (C) Courtesy

The men’s 4x100m team now joins the previously qualified men’s 4x400m and 4x400m mixed relay squads, strengthening Kenya’s relay representation for Tokyo.

Kenya made history by qualifying for the World Championships for the first time ever after Stephen Odhiambo anchored the side to a 38.51 run to qualify for the championships.

Omanyala ran a powerful back stretch to help the Kenyans qualify.#TeamKenya pic.twitter.com/fNgqJfvLAz
— Mark Kinyanjui (@Kiinya_Y) May 11, 2025

Kenya also made headlines in the 4x400m mixed relay, where the team clinched a historic bronze medal. The quartet - David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet, Brian Tinega and anchor runner Mercy Oketch - posted a season-best time of 3:13.10 to finish third behind the United States and Australia.

It was Kenya’s first medal in the mixed relay since claiming bronze at the 2019 World Relays in Yokohama. The United States retained their title in dominant fashion, clocking a championship record of 3:09.54, while Australia followed in 3:12.20 - an Area National Record.

“We thank God for this medal after we failed to secure anything last year in the Bahamas. The morale was high and that is what spurred us to a podium finish,” said Sanayek.

“It was quite interesting and fascinating. This is my first world medal and I am proud of it. This is just the beginning,” added Oketch, who described anchoring the race as the highlight of her career so far.

Elsewhere, Kenya’s men’s 4x400m team broke a 32-year-old national record with a time of 2:59.29, surpassing the previous record of 2:59.63 set during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Despite the historic run, the team of Mweresa, Zablon Ekwam, Kelvin Kiprotich and Kevin Kipkorir finished fifth overall.

South Africa dominated the men’s 4x400m, taking gold in a world lead time of 2:57.50, ahead of Belgium (2:58.19) and Botswana (2:58.27).

Kenya’s performances in Guangzhou show growing depth in sprint and relay events, with hopes high ahead of the Tokyo showdown.