Australia’s fastest athletes are locked in and laser-focussed, having hit top-gear on the Gold Coast ahead of the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China this weekend. The focus: technical precision, team cohesion and translating individual speed into collective performance, as qualification for Tokyo hangs in the balance.
Headlined by some of the season’s top performers including World Indoor medallist Lachlan Kennedy as well as national record holders Bree Masters and Kristie Edwards, the squads are fresh off a Chemist Warehouse Summer Season that saw the rise of Australian sprinting, national relay records fall and new talent emerge.
Now, with just days until one of their most significant meets of the year, the emphasis is on the turn-around from individual athletes to team mates, and executing together under pressure.
“It’s so exciting to have all this depth in the relays at the moment. Everyone on this team has been training hard and working on their relay skills over the season and up here at our camps on the Gold Coast and it really shows,” Olympian and Australian 4x100m Relay record holder Kristie Edwards said.
“We’ve had some great training sessions on camp and I’m very excited to see what this team can achieve in China.”
Overseeing the campaign as six national teams get ready to make history at the World Athletics Relay Championships, High Performance Relay Lead David Reid says the presence of a full squad at the final camp is a milestone in itself.
“We’re so proud to have all six sprint teams heading to the World Relays. It’s a real testament to the passion, and commitment of our athletes and coaches, who’ve put in the work all off-season,” Reid said.
“Taking on the world’s best in China—chasing medals and qualification spots—is exactly the kind of moment that makes all the support and investment from our sprint community and Australian Athletics worthwhile.”
The week-long camp, supported by Invest Gold Coast, is strategically focused on the fine margins that can define relay success, as well as a stepping-stone for the 15 athletes who are getting ready to represent Australia for the first time at a senior level.
“I’m really excited to see some of our debutants step onto the international stage,” Reid said.
“This event is a fantastic opportunity for them to excel as well as gain experience, and many will form the backbone of our relay squads heading toward Brisbane 2032. Moments like these are where the next generation starts to shine, and it’s rewarding to be part of their journey.”
While the week has been dominated by track work and exchanges, the camp is also a celebration of how far the Australian Athletics relay program has come.
The Australian Men and Women’s 4x100m teams have rewritten the record books multiple times in the past year, while both 4x400m teams are boasting their best collective shape in recent years.
“Our men’s and women’s 4x100m relay teams are in an excellent position to qualify, thanks to impressive season-best performances. The men’s team enters the competition ranked number one in the world, a testament to their outstanding training camps and their national record-breaking run at the Sydney Track Classic,” Reid said.
“The depth, resilience, and camaraderie within both the men’s and women’s 4x400m teams have grown significantly, and we fully expect them to challenge strongly for spots in the finals.”
A major enabler of this growth has been the sustained investment in relay camps by the City of Gold Coast, and now Invest Gold Coast, with the final preparations marking yet another chapter in the partnership.
“The City is proud to have welcomed some of Australia’s top athletes in preparation for their upcoming major international events,” said Mayor Tom Tate. Since the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the Gold Coast has established itself as a premier athletics hub in Australia, and is well-positioned to host more high-performance training camps and major events leading into Brisbane 2032.”
Acting Chief Executive Officer for Invest Gold Coast Jeff McAlister added “Our Sport Attraction Program continues to play a highly important role in attracting and enhancing high-performance programs on the Gold Coast, and we’re honoured to have assisted Athletics Australia in this campaign.”
The Australian squads will land in China tomorrow, with competition taking place on Saturday and Sunday, 10-11 May. Audiences can tune in live and free via World Athletics’ Inside Track platform.
By Sascha Ryner, Australian Athletics
Posted: 7/5/2025
