China's men's 4x400m relay team made history Saturday by shattering their national record with a time of 3:01.87 during a rain-soaked World Athletics Relays event in Guangzhou. The rookie quartet of Liang Baotang, Li Yiqing, Zhang Qining, and anchor Fu Haoran secured second place in their heat, booking their ticket to the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
"My mind was blank when I was running, just to do my best," said Fu, whose dramatic surge overtook Spain's Bernat Erta in the final stretch. The race served as a key qualifier for Tokyo 2025, with top teams advancing directly from heats and others competing Sunday for remaining spots.
In other events, veteran sprinter Xie Zhenye anchored China's men's 4x100m team through a nail-biting 38.30-second finish, missing direct qualification by 0.005 seconds. Meanwhile, a botched baton exchange dashed hopes for China's women's 4x100m squad.
Mixed Relay Debut Sparks Excitement
The competition marked the global debut of the mixed 4x100m relay, a new Olympic event set for LA 2028. China's team clocked 41.30 seconds to advance, with sprinter Chen describing the mixed-gender format as "interesting and exciting." Canada led the pack with a 40.90-second qualification time.
Global athletics powerhouses made their mark, including the USA's world-leading 3:11.37 in mixed 4x400m and Spain's national record 42.18-second women's 4x100m run. South Africa and Japan set a joint world-leading 37.84 seconds in men's 4x100m.
As teams prepare for Sunday’s final qualification rounds, all eyes remain on China’s rising stars – particularly their record-breaking 4x400m squad – as they gear up for their World Championships debut.
