Running News Daily

Masai Russell has added another major achievement to her remarkable 2026 season, powering to victory in the women’s 100m hurdles at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

The American produced a brilliant 12.22 seconds to capture the Ultimate Championship title, once again demonstrating her ability to deliver when the pressure is at its highest.

Russell controlled the race from the opening hurdles, attacking each barrier with precision before powering down the home straight to secure a convincing victory. Her performance confirmed why she has been one of the most dominant hurdlers in the world this season.

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, a former world-record holder and one of the most experienced athletes in the field, mounted a strong challenge but had to settle for silver in 12.34 seconds.

The bronze medal went to the Netherlands’ Nadine Visser, who crossed the line in 12.39 seconds after another impressive championship performance.

Women’s 100m Hurdles Final

1. Masai Russell — United States — 12.22

2. Tobi Amusan — Nigeria — 12.34

3. Nadine Visser — Netherlands — 12.39

Beyond the medals and times, the race produced one of the most memorable images of the championship.

Moments after Russell secured the title, she shared a warm embrace with Amusan, creating a striking scene of mutual respect between two athletes who have played major roles in the evolution of women’s sprint hurdling.

There was no love lost between the former world-record holder and the athlete who has now taken over the top spot. Amusan’s journey helped redefine the event, while Russell has emerged as the new generation’s leading force.

The embrace offered a fitting reminder that elite sport is not only about rivalry and competition. Behind the starting line are athletes who understand the sacrifice, pressure and dedication required to reach the highest level.

For Amusan, the silver medal represents another podium finish at the highest level, while Visser continues to underline her credentials among the world’s elite hurdlers.

But the night belonged to Russell.

With another major title secured and her confidence soaring, the American has made it increasingly difficult for anyone to challenge her position at the top of women’s sprint hurdling.

And perhaps the most fitting image of the night came after the race — the former world-record holder embracing her successor as Russell celebrated becoming the inaugural Ultimate Champion.

Budapest has crowned its first Ultimate Champion, and Masai Russell has once again shown that when the biggest moment arrives, she is ready to answer.

The women’s 100m hurdles is set for a spectacular showdown at the Brussels Diamond League Final on September 5, where Olympic champion Masai Russell will lead one of the strongest fields of the season in the battle for the coveted Diamond Trophy.

Russell arrives in Brussels in extraordinary form and as the athlete everyone will be chasing. The American star has enjoyed a remarkable season, combining consistency with breathtaking speed, and recently delivered another unforgettable performance when she ran a sensational 12.09 seconds in Zurich to break the world record.

That performance further strengthened Russell’s position as the dominant force in the event. Her remarkable consistency has been equally impressive, with the Olympic champion winning all 10 of her finals so far this season. With 48 points, she also finished at the top of the Diamond League standings during the regular season.

However, the points race is now behind her. In Brussels, everything comes down to one final. The Diamond League Final offers no room for complacency, and Russell will have to defeat an exceptional collection of world-class hurdlers to leave Belgium with the Diamond Trophy.

Among her biggest challengers is Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, one of the finest hurdlers of her generation and a former world record holder. The field also includes Dutch star Nadine Visser, Bahamas standout Devynne Charlton and Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska, ensuring that Russell will face serious opposition over every hurdle.

American Alaysha Johnson, Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds and Belgium’s Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck complete a fascinating eight-athlete lineup for what promises to be one of the highlights of the Diamond League Final.

With Russell’s unbeaten record, her recent world-record performance and the Diamond Trophy on the line, the pressure will be immense when the athletes take their marks. Yet in an event as unpredictable and technically demanding as the 100m hurdles, one mistake can completely change the outcome.

Russell may arrive as the overwhelming favourite, but Brussels offers her rivals one final opportunity to produce something special. The stage is set for a thrilling race between the fastest and most accomplished hurdlers in the world—and after a season of dominance, Russell now has one more hurdle to clear in her pursuit of Diamond League glory.

Women’s 100m Hurdles Final Start List

 1. Masai Russell — United States

 2. Tobi Amusan — Nigeria

 3. Nadine Visser — Netherlands

 4. Devynne Charlton — Bahamas

 5. Pia Skrzyszowska — Poland

 6. Alaysha Johnson — United States

 7. Megan Simmonds — Jamaica

 8. Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck — Belgium

One race. Eight elite hurdlers. One Diamond Trophy. Will Masai Russell complete another unforgettable chapter of her remarkable season, or will Brussels produce a surprise?

Masai Russell delivered a performance for the ages at the Zurich Diamond League, storming to a stunning 12.09 seconds in the women’s 100m hurdles to break Tobi Amusan’s world record.

Running in completely still conditions with a legal 0.0 m/s wind, the American Olympic champion became the first woman in history to break the 12.10-second barrier.

Russell improved upon Amusan’s previous world record of 12.12, set at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene. The mark is subject to the usual ratification process.

After repeatedly demonstrating her dominance throughout the season, Russell arrived in Zurich as the woman to beat. She attacked the race with extraordinary speed and precision, maintaining her rhythm over the hurdles before pulling away in the closing stages.

When the clock flashed 12.09, the significance of the performance was immediately clear. A barrier that had never been broken was gone.

Even more remarkably, the woman whose record she broke was racing beside her. Amusan, the Nigerian star who had held the world record for four years, finished second in 12.23.

The Netherlands’ Nadine Visser completed the podium in 12.34.

The performance adds another extraordinary chapter to Russell’s career. After establishing herself among the world’s elite and producing a season of remarkable consistency, she has reached the summit of the event as its fastest athlete in history.

Russell’s 12.09 was more than a victory. It rewrote the record books and provided the ultimate confirmation of her dominance.

Zurich had already witnessed a world record from Alison dos Santos in the men’s 400m hurdles. Less than 40 minutes later, Russell ensured the evening would become one of the most memorable in Diamond League history.

Masai Russell is now the world-record holder—and the first woman to run under 12.10 seconds for the 100m hurdles.

 

Double Olympic champion Sifan Hassan and triple European champion Femke Bol will represent the Netherlands in multiple disciplines at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23.

Hassan has been entered in the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m – the same three disciplines she contested at the Tokyo Olympic Games, where she landed two gold medals and a bronze.

Bol, meanwhile, will have her sights set on gold in the 400m hurdles, having recently reduced her own European record to 51.45. As was the case at the past two global championships, she is also in the pools for the women’s and mixed 4x400m events.

Dutch team for Budapest

WOMEN 100m: N’Ketia Seedo

200m: Tasa Jiya

400m: Lieke Klaver

1500m: Sifan Hassan

5000m: Sifan Hassan, Maureen Koster

10,000m: Sifan Hassan, Diane van Es

100m hurdles: Maayke Tijn A-Lim, Nadine Visser

400m hurdles: Femke Bol, Cathelijn Peeters

Long jump: Pauline Hondema

Shot put: Jessica Schilder, Alida van Daalen, Jorinde van Klinken

Discus: Jorinde van Klinken

Heptathlon: Sofie Dokter, Emma Oosterwegel, Anouk Vetter

4x100m: Tasa Jiya, Lieke Klaver, Jamile Samuel, N’Ketia Seedo, Marije van Hunenstijn, Nadine Visser

4x400m: Femke Bol, Lisanne de Witte, Lieke Klaver, Cathelijn Peeters, Eveline Saalberg, Zoe Sedney

MEN 100m: Raphael Bouju

200m: Taymir Burnet

400m: Liemarvin Bonevacia

1500m: Niels Laros

5000m: Mike Foppen

Marathon: Abdi Nageeye

High jump: Douwe Amels

Pole vault: Menno Vloon

Hammer: Denzel Comenentia

Decathlon: Rik Taam

4x100m: Raphael Bouju, Taymir Burnet, Nsikak Ekpo, Churandy Martina, Xavi Mo-Ajok, Hensley Paulina

4x400m: Terrence Agard, Ramsey Angela, Isayah Boers, Liemarvin Bonevacia, Isaya Klein Ikkink, Nick Smidt

Mixed 4x400m: athletes drawn from men’s and women’s 4x400m pools.

Meeting records are hard to come by in the Wanda Diamond League, given it’s the premier one-day meeting circuit in the world, but three such marks fell at the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels on Friday (3), thanks to Mondo Duplantis, Sifan Hassan and Michael Cherry.

When the men’s pole vault got underway, some 40 minutes before the first track event, the King Baudouin Stadium was still filling up. By the time the contest reached its climax three hours later, with all other disciplines having long finished, Duplantis commanded the attention of every single person inside the venue.

Though the world record once again evaded Duplantis tonight, the 28,000 spectators – the largest gathering for an athletics meeting since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic – were treated to a vaulting masterclass from a legend of the sport.

The Olympic champion opened at 5.50m, skipped 5.65m and then got over 5.75m and 5.85m on his first tries. Four other men were left in the competition at this point, but only two of them got over 5.85m; Olympic silver medallist Christopher Nilsen did it on his first try, while US compatriot KC Lightfoot scraped over on his third attempt.

The US duo couldn’t quite manage 5.91m tonight, though, but Duplantis once again went clear at the first time of asking to confirm his victory. The 21-year-old Swede then raised the bar to 6.05m in a bid to add some height to his own 6.00m meeting record from last year. He brought the bar down with his first two tries, but got over it on his third attempt.

The bar was then raised to the would-be world record height of 6.19m. Following a short wait while the technical officials ensured all was set for a record attempt, Duplantis took to the runway but wasn’t particularly close to clearing the bar on his first attempt. His second try was significantly closer, and his third attempt was also decent, but a world record wasn’t to be tonight.

Nevertheless, Duplantis wasn’t disappointed with his winning height of 6.05m. Only he, Sergey Bubka and two-time world champion Sam Kendricks have ever vaulted higher outdoors.

"I was really close to the world record," said Duplantis. "Everything was perfect, it was just up to me. I haven't had such an amazing atmosphere during a competition in a really long time."

Almost a month has passed since Sifan Hassan’s final race at the Olympic Games, where she won two gold medals and one bronze. Having raced just once during that time, the Dutch distance star arrived in Brussels well rested and ready to take on the mile.

She was the only athlete capable of sticking with the pacemakers as they led through the first 400m in 1:02.03. By the time the second pacemaker reached the 800m point in 2:04.97, with Hassan still in close attendance, the rest of the field was about 30 metres adrift.

With a lap to go, it was clear from the wavelight technology that an improvement on Hassan’s 4:12.33 world record was not on the cards in Brussels, though it never really seemed as though that was her ambition for the race anyway. By this stage, her lead had grown to 50 metres and she kicked for the final lap, going on to win by more than six seconds.

Her winning time of 4:14.74, the fifth-fastest performance in history, smashed Faith Kipyegon’s meeting record by two seconds. Ethiopia’s Axumawit Embaye was second in 4:21.08, closely followed by Australia’s Linden Hall, who broke her own Oceanian record with 4:21.38.

“Since the start of the pandemic, we haven’t had such a big crowd and I’m so happy to see them,” said Hassan. “We haven’t experienced it for nearly two years; it makes you feel special. It’s amazing, I really love it.”

In Tokyo last month, Michael Cherry was beaten to the 400m bronze medal by just 0.02 as Kirani James pipped the US sprinter at the line. Today’s race in Brussels was the first clash between the pair since the Olympic final, and Cherry ran like a man with a point to prove.

He went out hard, as did James, and by half way the duo had started to open up a clear gap on the likes of Isaac Makwala and Liemarvin Bonevacia.

James almost drew level with Cherry on the final bend, but Cherry had another gear left and forged ahead down the home straight, crossing the line in a lifetime best of 44.03 to take 0.03 off Michael Johnson’s meeting record from 1998.

James finished second in 44.51 with Makwala taking third place in 44.83.

The meeting record may have remained intact in the women’s high jump, but it proved to be one of the most enthralling contests of the night.

Olympic champion Mariya Lasitskene breezed through the first few heights and hadn’t recorded any failures up to and including 1.98m. World silver medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who needed three attempts to clear 1.95m, also got over 1.98m on her first try, while Olympic silver medallist Nicola McDermott needed two jumps to clear it.

But McDermott was then the first to go clear at 2.00m, getting over on her first try, then Lasitskene did likewise. Mahuchikh succeeded on her second attempt at 2.00m, but then nailed 2.02m on her first attempt, taking the lead at a critical point of the competition.

Lasitskene missed once and then passed to 2.04m, while McDermott had two misses at 2.02m before registering a third failure at 2.04m. Neither of the trio managed to get over 2.04m, leaving Mahuchikh as the winner. It was just the second time in Diamond League history that three women have cleared 2.00m in the same competition.

With Lasitskene having won in Lausanne and McDermott winning in Paris, Mahuchikh’s triumph in Brussels means all three Olympic medallists have achieved Diamond League wins since the Tokyo Games.

Kerley makes Diamond League history

Olympic 100m silver medallist Fred Kerley won the short sprint, becoming the first man to win over 100m, 200m and 400m in the Wanda Diamond League.

World leader Trayvon Bromell blasted into an early lead and held his form well, but Kerley rallied and held off the additional challenge from Michael Norman in lane seven, dipping well on the line to take the victory in 9.94.

Bromell held on to take second place in 9.97, just 0.01 ahead of Michael Norman (9.98), completing a US sweep of the top three places.

Christine Mboma, also an Olympic silver medallist, won the women’s 200m. The Namibian teenager came through strongly in the closing stages to edge in front of Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson and world champion Dina Asher-Smith.

Mboma stopped the clock at 21.84 while Jackson took second place in 21.95. Asher-Smith recorded a season’s best of 22.04 in third, and US 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson was a few strides adrift in fourth place (22.45).

Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba produced a similarly well-timed finish to win the 5000m.

Once the last of the pacemakers dropped out at 2000m, Niyonsaba took up the running at the front of the pack with two-time world champion Hellen Obiri close behind. The Kenyan led for a brief stint too, passing through 3000m in a swift 8:42.57.

Niyonsaba, who finished fifth over 10,000m at the Tokyo Olympics, led again for most of the final kilometre, but Obiri kicked into the lead when the bell sounded for the final lap. She appeared to be on her way to victory, but Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu Taye came back strongly and briefly led with about 90 metres to go, then a rejuvenated Niyonsaba came back to take the lead in the closing stages, crossing the line in a national record of 14:25.34.

Taye took second place in 14:25.63 with Obiri claiming third in 14:26.23. World silver medallist Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi set a PB of 14:27.12 in fourth as the top seven women finished inside 14:32 – unprecedented depth for a 5000m race.

Goule, Rotich and McSweyn take middle distances

Exactly one month since her eighth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule rebounded with a satisfying win over 800m, beating several women who finished ahead of her at the Games.

With the pacemaker passing through the first lap in 56.99, the field was still relatively tightly bunched with 300 metres to go. Goule held the lead, but Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson moved on to the Jamaican’s shoulder on the final bend and looked poised to strike.

Goule had saved something for the finish, though, and she held off the challenge from the British teenager, winning in 1:58.09. Hodgkinson was second in 1:58.16 from compatriot Jemma Reekie (1:58.77).

Stewart McSweyn led an Australian 1-2 in the men’s 1500m. The Oceanian record-holder overtook a fading Mohamed Katir on the home straight to win in 3:33.20 with compatriot Oliver Hoare taking second place (3:33.79). Poland’s Michal Rozmys was third in 3:33.96.

Olympic silver medallist Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich was a comfortable winner of the non-scoring men’s 800m, crossing the line in 1:43.81 to win by more than a second from Belgium’s Eliott Crestan (1:45.24).

Hurdles victories for Dos Santos and Visser

Racing for the first time since taking Olympic bronze and moving to third on the world all-time list, Brazil’s Alison dos Santos won the men’s 400m hurdles with his trademark strong finish.

Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands led for most of the race, making up the stagger on Dos Santos, drawn one lane outside him, by the half-way point. Dos Santos stuck with McMaster around the final bend and drew level with Jamaica’s Jaheel Hyde. McMaster hit the penultimate hurdle, throwing off his rhythm slightly as he went into the final barrier. Dos Santos, meanwhile, came off the 10th hurdle much better and went on to win in 48.23.

McMaster finished second in 48.31 and Yasmani Copello took third place in 48.45.

The closest finish of the day came in the women’s 100m hurdles, in which Nadine Visser won by just eight thousandths of a second from Tobi Amusan, both timed at 12.69 (0.7m/s). Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper was third in 12.77.

Elsewhere, Steffin McCarter saved his best for last to win the men’s long jump. His sixth-round leap of 7.99m was not only the best in the ‘final three’ contest; it was also the top mark of the entire competition. Ruswahl Samaai was second thanks to his last-round leap of 7.89m, having jumped 7.95m earlier in the competition.

The Jamaican women brought out the big guns for the final of the 4x100m relay, and it paid off. Briana Williams ran the lead leg, handing off to Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, then Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson (who also ran in the heats) for the win in a national record of 41.02. They edged out the USA, who took silver in a season’s best 41.45, anchored by Gabby Thomas (with a lot of ground being made up in the third leg by Jenna Prandini).

Great Britain came through for bronze in 41.88. It was the third time in four Olympics that these three nations have stood on the podium in this event, in various configurations of gold, silver and bronze.

There were a few moments of doubt over whether the Jamaicans might have been out of position in the first hand-off, but ultimately the result stood, and the team started celebrating. Switzerland ran well, with 100m finalists Ajla del Ponte and Mujinga Kambundji racing hard to put their team on the podium, but ultimately it wasn’t enough. Team Netherlands fumbled the handoff from lead Nadine Visser to Dafne Schippers, and their race was done.

Miller-Uibo gets gold in 400m final

The women’s 400m final netted another gold for defending gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who also won five years ago in Rio, in a personal best and area record of 48.36, after some doubt about whether the schedule would allow her to double. (Miller-Uibo also ran the 200m, but didn’t make the final.) Marileidy Paulino took silver in a national-record-setting performance for the Dominican Republic of 49.20. Allyson Felix, who won silver in this event in Rio, earned the bronze in 49.46, her fastest time yet this year and an unbelievable 10th Olympic medal for the American.

Team USA redeems itself in the men’s 4x400m relay heats

The first heat of the men’s 4x400m was fast and furious, with Team USA running well after its disastrous 4x100m performance. Anchor Michael Norman crossed the line first, in 2:57.77, followed by Botswana (who ran their fastest man, Isaac Makwala, as their lead leg, a strategy that paid off for them) and Trinidad and Tobago as the last auto-qualifier from this heat. Italy and the Netherlands, in fourth and fifth, had to wait and see if they would advance, but both qualified through to the final in the end. All five saw times under three minutes, and this heat produced three national or area records – for Botswana, the Netherlands and Italy.

The second heat was almost as fast, producing two national records (but in the fourth and fifth finishers, India and Japan, who did not advance). Poland and Belgium dominated, with the Poles crossing the line first in 2:58.55. Jamaica finished third, all of them running under three minutes. Going through to Friday evening’s final are USA, Botswana, Trinidad and Tobago, Poland, Belgium and Jamaica.

The Dutch team for the Tokyo Olympic Games has been announced, with double world champion Sifan Hassan named for three events.

The 28-year-old won world 1500m and 10,000m titles in Doha in 2019 and for Tokyo has been selected for both of those events as well as the 5000m, but may not decide to contest all three.

European indoor 400m champion Femke Bol has set 11 national records so far this season and has been selected to make her Olympic debut in the 400 hurdles, women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m.

Two-time world champion Dafne Schippers is named for the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, while world-leader Jorinde van Klinken’s discus selection is confirmed.

Dutch team for Tokyo

WOMEN

100m: Jamile Samuel, Dafne Schippers, Marije van Hunenstijn

200m: Jamile Samuel, Dafne Schippers

400m: Lisanne de Witte, Lieke Klaver

1500m: Sifan Hassan

5000m: Sifan Hassan, Diane van Es

10,000m: Sifan Hassan, Susan Krumins

Marathon: Andrea Deelstra, Jill Holterman

3000m steeplechase: Irene van der Reijken

100m hurdles: Zoe Sedney, Nadine Visser

400m hurdles: Femke Bol

Shot put: Jessica Schilder

Discus: Jorinde van Klinken

Heptathlon: Nadine Broersen, Emma Oosterwegel, Anouk Vetter

4x100m: Lieke Klaver, Jamile Samuel, Dafne Schippers, Naomi Sedney, Marije van Hunenstijn, Leonie van Vliet, Nadine Visser

4x400m: Andrea Bouma, Laura de Witte, Lisanne de Witte, Lieke Klaver, Hanneke Oosterwegel, Anne van de Wiel

MEN

200m: Taymir Burnet

400m: Liemarvin Bonevacia, Jochem Dobber

800m: Tony van Diepen

5000m: Mike Foppen

Marathon: Khalid Choukoud, Abdi Nageeye, Bart van Nunen

400m hurdles: Nick Smidt

Pole vault: Rutger Koppelaar, Menno Vloon

Decathlon: Pieter Braun

4x100m: Solomon Bockarie, Taymir Burnet, Christopher Garia, Joris van Gool, Churandy Martina, Hensley Paulina,

4x400m: Terrence Agard, Ramsey Angela, Liemarvin Bonevacia, Jochem Dobber, Nout Wardenburg, Tony van Diepen

MIXED

4x400m: Terrence Agard, Ramsey Angela, Liemarvin Bonevacia, Andrea Bouma, Femke Bol, Laura de Witte, Lisanne de Witte, Jochem Dobber, Lieke Klaver, Hanneke Oosterwegel, Nout Wardenburg, Anne van de Wiel, Tony van Diepen

There was success for the host nation Poland on an action-packed first evening of competition at the World Athletics Relays Silesia 21, with Joanna Jozwik and Patryk Dobek teaming up to win the 2x2x400m.

It was the first of two finals at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzow on Saturday (1), with Germany winning the shuttle hurdles relay ­and a whole host of competitive 4x100m and 4x400m heats taking place.

Tactical victory on home soil

With two athletes taking it in turns to run their two 400m legs, the 2x2x400m is an event which favours the middle-distance athletes rather than sprinters but in Dobek the host nation had a bit of both. Previously better known as a 400m hurdler, the 27-year-old has stepped up to the 800m this year in superb style, winning the European indoor title in just his fourth competition at the distance.

In Silesia he was joined by his European Indoors teammate Jozwik, who claimed 800m silver in Torun, and together they powered to victory on home soil, clocking 3:40.92.

After a conservative start, Kenya were narrowly ahead after the first lap, with Naomi Korir handing the baton to Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich and Jozwik passing on to Dobek, who had helped Poland to a fourth-place finish in this event at the last edition of the World Athletics Relays in Yokohama in 2019.

Slovenia is only fielding one team in Silesia and they made their presence felt in this event, with Anita Horvat and Zan Rudolf challenging Kenya on the third and final legs. Kenya had the stronger finish, however, and it saw them secure second place in 3:41.79 as Slovenia were third in 3:41.95.

Germany holds off strong Polish challenge in shuttle hurdles

All-round stronger starts and composure under pressure helped Germany to victory in the mixed shuttle hurdles relay, the final event of the night.

Monika Zapalska began well to give Germany a slight lead on the first leg. Poland’s Zuzanna Hulisz made up a bit of ground on Zapalska towards the end of her leg, but Germany’s Erik Balnuweit got off to a swift start on the second leg, opening up another metre on Poland.

Krzysztof Kiljan maintained Poland’s second-place position on the second leg as the top two teams continued to pull away from Kenya in third. The positions stayed the same on the third leg with Anne Weigold holding on to the lead for Germany as Poland’s Klaudia Wojtunik tried to give chase.

Poland saved their strongest runner, Damian Czykier, for the final leg. At first it seemed as though Gregor Traber’s lead was unassailable, but Czykier closed well in the final stages. He clattered the final barrier, though, and so was unable to catch the German before the finish.

Germany won in 56.53 with Poland taking second in 56.68. Kenya took third in 59.89.

All to race for in qualifying events

Competition was fierce in the heats for the championship events, with qualification for the Tokyo Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships Oregon22 up for grabs.

The women’s 4x400m heats were up first and hosts Poland secured a strong start as they won the event’s opening race, clocking 3:28.11.

Cuba’s quartet of Zurian Hechavarria, Rose Mary Almanza, Lisneidy Veitia and Roxana Gomez went quickest overall, leading from gun to tape to win the second heat in 3:27.90 ahead of the Netherlands with 3:28.40. It was a busy night for European indoor 400m champion Femke Bol as before lining up for the mixed 4x400m, she opened her campaign with a 49.81 anchor split for the Dutch women’s team – the fastest overall in the first round.

Like the Netherlands and Poland, who won this event in Yokohama in 2019, Belgium and Great Britain had already qualified for Tokyo as 2019 World Athletics Championships finalists. They all also made the final in Silesia where they will be joined by Germany, Italy and France on Sunday.

Belgium qualified third quickest for the final with 3:28.27, ahead of Great Britain’s 3:28.83.

There was joy for the Dutch men’s 4x400m team too as Jochem Dobber, Liemarvin Bonevacia, Ramsey Angela and Tony van Diepen combined to clock 3:03.03 and win the second heat, leading the list of qualifiers. But Poland didn’t share in the success of their female teammates as they missed out on the final by just one place. Their run did, however, gain them a spot at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

In that third heat, which was won by Botswana in 3:04.03, Italy’s Vladimir Aceti surged past Karol Zalewski – who was part of Poland's world indoor record-breaking team at the 2018 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham – with a split of 45.36 to finish second in 3:04.81 and pip the hosts for that place in the final.

The Japanese team ensured that they will also be heading for a home Olympics as Rikuya Ito, Kentaro Sato, Kazuma Higuchi and Kaito Kawabata clocked 3:03.31 to win the first heat.

Colombia’s Anthony Zambrano, the world 400m silver medallist, eased over the finish line in 3:04.64 to comfortably anchor his team to second place and a spot in the final along with South Africa, Belgium and France.

As expected, the mixed 4x400m heats provided some thrilling action, with Italy’s Edoardo Scotti, Giancarla Trevisan, Alice Mangione and Davide Re storming to a second heat win of 3:16.52 to lead the first round ahead of heat three winners Brazil with 3:16.53 and the Dominican Republic with 3:16.67.

Ireland, Belgium, Great Britain, Netherlands and Spain will be joining them in the final but Colombia and Poland will miss out after placing third and fourth in that high-quality second heat.

Colombia’s 3:17.61 was faster than the Netherlands’ winning time of 3:18.04 in the first heat, but they were run out of an all-important top two qualifying spot.

In that Netherlands team, Bol ran 50.72 after her earlier 49.81 in the women’s event.

Narrow margins in 4x100m

Things were tight at the top and bottom of the list of teams to qualify for the men’s 4x100m final, with just 0.001 separating Italy from Brazil to lead the first round and the exact same small margin between Denmark and Ukraine at the bottom, to see Ukraine just miss out.

European indoor 60m champion Marcell Jacobs and Italian record-holder Filippo Tortu both ran storming legs along with Eseosa Fostine Desalu and Davide Manenti to clock 38.45 in winning heat three ahead of South Africa, anchored by African champion Akani Simbine, while 2019 winners Brazil, anchored again by Paulo André Camilo de Oliveira, won heat two in a time just a thousandth slower.

Denmark ran a national record of 39.06 in that race to finish fourth behind Germany and Japan to secure their spot in the final, while the first heat was won by the Netherlands in 38.79 ahead of Ghana.

A strong team of Jamile Samuel, Dafne Schippers, Nadine Visser and Marije Van Hunenstijn led the qualifiers in the women's event to book their place in the final, as well as the major championships in Tokyo and Oregon. Together they clocked 43.28 to win the second heat ahead of Poland.

Just as the Danish team had the race of their lives in the men's event, so too did Ecuador in the women's and the quartet ran a national record of 43.86 in third to advance on time. Brazil was disqualified for a lane violation after originally winning the first heat ahead of Italy with 44.02, while heat three was won by France in 43.51.

They will be joined in the final by Switzerland and Japan.

Competition resumes on Sunday at 19:20 local time with the mixed 4x400m final.