Paris Olympic Qualifier: Nassau Wins 2024 World Relays Hosting Rights

Nassau, which hosted the first three World Relays, will stage the 2024 edition that will double as a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics

The 2024 World Relays – which will act as a key qualifier for the Paris 2024 Games – will take place in the venue which held the first three versions of the event, the Bahamian capital of Nassau.

Speaking after the two-day World Athletics Council meeting in Rome, the International Federation’s President, Sebastian Coe, commented: “This is an important Olympic Games qualifier – we added the jeopardy of making sure this event had the added component of qualification and it was considered that The Bahamas were the best choice in terms of conditions and atmosphere engendered for the athletes.”

Coe added that he had spoken to the team leadership of the other bidder for the event, Lausanne, immediately after the Council’s decision.

“I explained the situation, and I know they are very keen to remain in that landscape maybe for future bids.”

The creation of a World Relays event for 2024 followed the announcement in October that next year’s planned World Relays in Guangzhou had been postponed until April or May 2025 due to China’s continuing and now controversial COVID-19 policies.

After being hosted three consecutive times by Nassau in the Bahamas, in 2014, 2015 and 2017, the World Relays have been held in Yokohama, Japan in 2019 and Chorzow in Poland last year.

Coe concluded the press conference by giving this year’s President’s Award, as part of the World Athletics Awards 2022, to the Ukrainian Athletic Association President Yevhen Pronin.

“I couldn’t think of anyone worthier than this for this year’s award,” said Coe.

“What the Ukrainian Athletic Federation President, the coaches, and the athletes have done is just worthy of everyone’s respect and recognition.”