Athletics Kenya (AK) has unveiled the selection criteria for relay athletes eyeing a place in Team Kenya for the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, with performance at the national trials and global rankings set to play a central role. 

The World Athletics Relay Trials have been slated for this Saturday at Nyayo National Stadium whereas the global event will take place from May 10-11, 2025.  

According to the athletics body, the country is currently in qualifying positions for the men’s 4x100m, men’s and women’s 4x400m, and the mixed 4x400m events as per the World Athletics’ Road to Guangzhou tool.  

Provisional qualification 

However, the federation made it clear that qualification is provisional, pending final global rankings at the end of the eligibility window and “any team falling out of the ranking threshold will be automatically disqualified and withdrawn.” 

“Qualification to the World Relay in Guangzhou is through the World Athletics Ranking and therefore in the event any of the teams drops in ranking by closure of the qualification window, the selected athletes shall be withdrawn from the team,” AK’s communiqué read in part.  

For the men’s 4x100m, six athletes will be picked.  

The first four across the finish line during the men’s 100m final at the national trials will earn automatic selection.  

The remaining two slots will be filled by a panel of selectors, taking into consideration the 2025 World Athletics rankings in the 100m or 200m. 

The 4x400m men’s team and the male participants in the mixed relay will also be drawn from a pool of eight.  

Six runners will be selected directly based on their final positions in the 400m men’s final, while the final two will be handpicked based on their current global standing in the 400m. 

A similar approach will apply to the women’s 4x400m and the female members of the mixed relay team.  

AK will select eight athletes — six from the women’s 400m final and two based on their 2025 world rankings. 

Clean run 

In addition to performance, all selected athletes must be cleared by both the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), with AK emphasising that no athlete under investigation or suspension will be eligible for selection. 

With the World Relays acting as the primary qualification pathway to the 2025 World Championships, AK is banking on fair, clean and competitive trials to field a formidable team capable of competing among the world’s best in Guangzhou.