Tokyo World Athletics Championships 2025: Mixed 4x400m Relay Brings Drama, Redemption, and a Clash of Titans

By: Denise N. Fyffe

Few events in modern athletics have captured the imagination quite like the mixed 4x400m relay. Since its introduction, it has delivered drama, strategy, and surprise in equal measure. The 2025 edition in Tokyo promises to be no exception, with the United States, Netherlands, Poland, and Great Britain leading a stacked lineup of contenders in what is quickly becoming one of the championships’ must-watch showdowns.

United States: The Standard-Bearers

The U.S. team comes into Tokyo as both the defending World Champions and World Relays winners. In Guangzhou earlier this year, they stamped their authority on the event with a championship record of 3:09.54, winning by nearly three seconds. Their dominance was clear, but they have unfinished business after being shocked in Paris 2024, where despite setting a world record in the heats, they were beaten by the Netherlands in the Olympic final.

Tokyo is their chance at redemption—and with the depth of American 400m and 400m hurdles talent, the U.S. remains the favorite. But as history has shown, in the mixed relay, anything can happen.

Netherlands: Bol’s Redemption Story

The Netherlands is perhaps the most intriguing rival. At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Dutch star Femke Bol—already a national hero—suffered heartbreak when she fell just meters from the finish line on the anchor leg, handing the gold to the U.S. in dramatic fashion. She bounced back with Olympic redemption in Paris, anchoring the Dutch to gold in 2024, and the memory of that Budapest stumble now fuels her fire.

With Bol and fellow 400m specialist Lieke Klaver, the Netherlands will once again be formidable. Their smooth exchanges and tactical strength make them serious challengers to the American stranglehold.

Poland, Italy, and Great Britain: The European Charge

Europe’s depth in the mixed relay has grown significantly, and Poland leads that charge. At the European Team Championships in Madrid, the Polish squad stunned the athletics world by setting a world seasonal lead and national record of 3:09.43.

Right behind them, Italy and Great Britain produced a thrilling battle, both clocking 3:09.66 in a dead-heat for second. Great Britain also has pedigree, with silver in Budapest 2023 and bronze in Paris 2024, while Italy continues to grow in strength with rising 400m talent emerging year after year.

Belgium and Beyond: Emerging Powerhouses

Don’t count out Belgium, who finished fourth at the Paris Olympics in 3:09.36, the fourth-fastest time in history. Their balance of male and female speedsters has made them a quiet but dangerous force.

Elsewhere, Australia and Kenya, who claimed second and third at the World Relays in Guangzhou, will be keen to show they belong among the elite, while Spain and Jamaica—the latter winning the NACAC Championships this year—add further firepower to an already competitive field.

The Tokyo Showdown

The mixed 4x400m relay has a reputation for unpredictability. Gender order strategies, anchor leg matchups, and the unique chemistry of the event ensure that no lead is safe until the baton crosses the line. With the U.S. looking to prove they are still the gold standard, the Netherlands chasing back-to-back global titles, and Europe’s finest knocking on the door, Tokyo is set for another unforgettable chapter in the short but dramatic history of this event.

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About the writer: Denise N. Fyffe is a publisher and author for more than 15 years. She has written more than 70 books and enjoys mentoring, gardening and traveling. She is also a trainer and educator, helping others to achieve their dreams.