For only the second time in history, Bahamas will not participate in the World Athletics Relays, scheduled for May 10-11 at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium in Guangzhou, China.
The decision comes as a result of insufficient available athletes to field a competitive team, according to officials from the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA).
Challenges in Assembling a Competitive Team
The primary issue lies in the men’s 4×100 meters relay, where only four athletes—Carlos Brown Jr., Samalie Farrington, Adam Musgrove, and Ian Kerr, were available for selection. Brown leads the Bahamian rankings this year with a personal best of 10.04 seconds, achieved during the Olympic Development men’s 100m at the Splice and Connect/BAAA CARIFTA Trials. Farrington follows closely with a best of 10.25 seconds, while Musgrove ranks fourth nationally at 10.27 seconds. Kerr, tied for eighth among Bahamians this season, posted a time of 10.40 seconds at the USATF National Training Center in Florida.
BAAA Chief Executive Officer Mabelene Miller, explained the dilemma.
“We identified four guys, but the challenge came in finding a fifth athlete. No one else is available. Other key sprinters like Wanya McCoy and Antoine Andrews are tied up with college commitments and cannot compete. Additionally, for the mixed relay, we simply don’t have the depth to be competitive.”
A Repeat of 2021’s Absence
This marks the second time The Bahamas has skipped the World Relays, with the first instance occurring in 2021 when the event was held in Chorzów, Poland. At that time, many nations, including The Bahamas, withdrew due to lingering COVID-19 disruptions.
Notably, powerhouses like the United States, Canada, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago also opted out, making it the only edition where a country other than the U.S. topped the medal standings.
Global Participation and Star-Studded Lineup
Despite The Bahamas’ absence, the 2025 World Relays promises to be a high-profile event. World Athletics recently confirmed that 734 athletes (411 men and 323 women) from 43 federations will compete in Guangzhou.
The competition will feature some of track and field’s biggest names, including Canada’s Olympic gold medal-winning 4x100m relay team, Jamaica’s sprint legends Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, Kenya’s 800m world champion Mary Moraa, and South Africa’s 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk.
This year’s event is historic for several reasons. It is the first time China will host the World Relays, and it will debut a mixed 4x100m relay alongside the traditional mixed 4x400m, men’s and women’s 4x100m, and 4x400m events. The Bahamas, which hosted the first three editions and the 2024 event, is set to welcome the competition again in 2028.