Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe Dominate Top 5 in Historic 4x400m World Relays Final

• Southern Africa takes centre stage on the global athletics scene as Botswana lead neighbours in a thrilling and record-breaking relay showdown
• South Africa and Zimbabwe back up the hosts with powerful performances in a rare and impressive regional surge at the highest global level
• A new sprinting force is emerging from Southern Africa as three neighbouring nations break into the world’s top five in a historic relay final

Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe delivered a powerful regional statement as the three neighbouring nations all finished in the top five of a historic men’s 4x400m relay final at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone on Sunday, 3 May 2026.

Botswana lead neighbours with historic home victory

Botswana produced a performance for the ages, storming to gold in a competition record time of 2:54.47. The run was the fastest ever recorded at the World Relays and the third-fastest in history, capping a remarkable weekend for the host nation.

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The World Athletics report described the moment as “the fastest ever recorded at the World Relays,” as the National Stadium erupted in celebration.

Lee Eppie gave Botswana a strong start before Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo maintained control. Bayapo Ndori held firm before Collen Kebinatshipi surged clear in the final stretch to seal victory in front of a roaring home crowd.

After the race, Eppie told World Athletics,

“We wanted to break the world record, we didn’t care about the gold. Everything was perfect from start to finish.”

Tebogo added,

“This was the best moment in my career… it is about how the crowd has held us together.”

South Africa match pace as neighbours push global limits

South Africa ensured it was not just Botswana flying the regional flag, finishing second in 2:55.07 in one of the fastest relay races ever recorded. Lythe Pillay delivered a sensational 42.66 split, now recognised as the fastest relay leg in history.

Australia took third in 2:55.20, while Portugal finished fourth, but the presence of two Southern African nations in the top positions highlighted the region’s growing strength in sprinting.

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The race produced three of the fastest times ever, underlining the intensity of the contest and the emergence of Southern Africa as a serious force.

Zimbabwe complete regional surge with top five finish

Zimbabwe capped the regional performance by finishing fifth in 2:59.79, holding their own against global sprint powerhouses. The quartet of Dennis Hove, Leeford Zuze, Gerren Muwishi and Thandazani Ndlovu had already made headlines by qualifying for the final and securing a place at the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee said the team had “cemented top-tier status” after breaking the national record and consistently running under three minutes.

Their 2:59.01 performance in the heats marked a significant milestone, ending a long-standing national record and signalling a new era for Zimbabwean sprinting.

All three neighbouring nations, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, qualified for the World Athletics Championships Beijing 2027, reinforcing Southern Africa’s growing influence on the global athletics stage.

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Source: Briefly News