Between 1993 and 2016, the US claimed 10 of the 13 gold medals available for men at the world indoor championships at 4x400m. After missing the title in the last three editions, the Nanjing 25 of the World Athletics Indoor Championship could mark a turning point for the US team.
With a season-high 3:03.57, it’s ahead of the rest of the countries on the entry list, and this year the six-man team of men who broke 46 seconds of each 400m will be the beat-hit team in Nanjing.
Chris Bailey, Matthew Boring and Jacoley Patterson (three-quarters of the US team that won silver indoors in 2024) will return to national duties. Bailey is part of the US men’s 4x400m team that won the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 Olympics, and Bowling won relay gold in both mixed and men’s 4x400m at the 2023 World Championships.
The US team also includes rookies Jevon O’Bryant and Kennedy Lightner, but Brian Faust is looking to make a significant contribution to the team on his second indoor outing.
A total of seven teams take part in the men’s 4x400m in Nanjing in the US, India, Hungary, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Nigeria and China.
Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel enters the World Indoor Championship as the second fastest man in the individual 400m. He wants to change the impressive indoor season with his NCAA silver medal highlighted by an African indoor record of 44.74.
He will work with African Games champions Chidi Okesey, Emmanuel Ogeli, Eddion Udo and James Onuka, aiming to secure the first world indoor 4x400m medals, male or female medals by the African nation.
The Jamaican team, led by outdoor national record holder Racine MacDonald, is determined to secure a podium finish as well. The 32-year-old, who claimed indoors 400m bronze in 2024, is the otherwise relatively young team’s most experienced member.
Hungary may not have the same depth as Jamaica or Nigeria, but their team is bolstered by newly crowned European indoor champion Attila Morner.
The home crowd also helps inspire Chinese squads to approach the podium.
Yemi Galadima for World Athletics
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