Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 will feature 723 athletes from 40 nations, competing in Botswana's capital on 2-3 May. Teams will battle for relay titles and qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing and the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
All six relay teams that won titles at the 2025 World Relays are set to defend their championships. The field also includes four of the five winning nations from the 2025 World Championships and three gold-medal-winning teams from the 2024 Olympic Games.
Host nation Botswana will showcase its men’s relay squads, led by Olympic 200m gold medallist Letsile Tebogo in the 4x100m and world 400m champion Collen Kebinatshipi on the 4x400m team, alongside world champions Bayapo Ndori and Leungo Scotch.
The United States, holders of multiple world and Olympic relay titles, have entered a strong team including Ronnie Baker and Courtney Lindsey from last year’s men’s 4x100m World Championship-winning squad. Jamaica's lineup features world 100m champion Oblique Seville and, in the women’s relay, Olympic and world champions Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson. The mixed 4x100m team includes silver medallist Kishane Thompson and sprinters Tia and Tina Clayton, while 2023 world champion Antonio Watson is listed for the men's 4x400m relay.
Canada has entered its men’s 4x100m team with the four athletes who secured Olympic gold in 2024 and world silver in 2025: Andre De Grasse, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney, and Aaron Brown. South Africa will look to repeat its World Relays success, naming all four men from its victorious 4x400m team and Akani Simbine, anchor of the winning 4x100m squad. Spain fields three members from their winning women’s 4x400m team and three from their runner-up women’s 4x100m squad. Italy’s women’s 4x100m team includes world indoor 60m champion Zaynab Dosso, while Germany has entered several women who contributed to its world and Olympic bronze medals in the 4x100m relay.