Trinidad and Tobago book Olympic spots at World Relays

Trinidad and Tobago earned two Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying spots on the second day of the World Athletics Relay championship in Nassau, Bahamas on May 5.

Cementing their spots were the TT women's 4x100m and men's 4x400m teams, from the second qualifying heat.

On the opening day of competitive action at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on May 4, TT left empty handed as the three relay teams all finished outside of the two automatic Olympic qualifying spots in the opening qualifying round.

However, on day two, the women's 4x100m and men's 4x400m teams completed their business. Unfortunately, TT's men's 4x100m team were unable to secure their qualification for the July 26-August 11 games, as the quartet of Kion Benjamin, Eric Harrison Jr, Jerod Elcock and Omari Lewis were unable to complete the third and final second-round qualifying heat due to an injury to Elcock.

Prior to that mishap, the women's 4x100m quartet of Taejha Badal, Leah Bertrand, Reyare Thomas and Reese Webster guaranteed their Olympic spot when they finished second in their second-round qualifier – clinching one of the two qualifying spots on offer in the heat. The Jamaican quartet of Remona Burchell, Tia Clayton, Alana Reid and Jodean Williams took top spot in 42.74 seconds, while TT clocked 43.54 seconds.

The men's 4x400-metre quartet of Asa Guevara, Che Lara, Shakeem McKay and 200-metre ace Jereem Richards booked their ticket to Paris in quite dramatic fashion when they finished second to Brazil in the final second-round qualifier.

A blistering second leg from Richards put TT in contention for one of the two qualifying spots, and when anchor runner McKay received the baton from Lara, TT were within striking distance of leaders Brazil while France were right on their heels as well.

Brazil anchor runner Matheus Lima pulled away from McKay down the straightaway as the South Americans took top spot in 3:01.86. McKay had an almighty battle on his hands to grab the second spot and seal TT's Olympic spot, and the former Queen's Royal College student did brilliantly to hold off a late surge from France's Teo Andant to see the red, white and black over the line in second in 3:02.39.

The French quartet finished an agonising third in 3:02.44 and missed out on an automatic qualifying spot in Paris.

A total of 14 relay teams clinched Olympic qualification in each of the five relay disciplines contested, with the US and Great Britain securing qualifying in each relay event.

The US teams were dominant in Bahamas and they stormed off with four titles, winning the 4x400 mixed relay, to go along with the women's 4x100, women's 4x400 and the men's 4x100 events. Botswana took the top spot in the men's 4x400 final.

Similar to many other relay quartets around the world, TT's men's 4x100 team will now hope to grab one of the last two qualifying spots for the Olympics based on the world rankings during the December 31, 2022-June 30, 2024 qualification period.