Men's 4x400m squad celebrate after winning gold at the Lefika Relays in Botswana/ HANDOUT

Kenya's 4x100m mixed relay squad is on the brink of a historic qualification to the World Athletics Relays scheduled for May 2–3 in Gaborone, Botswana, after a statement performance at the Lefika Relays over the weekend.

The Lefika Relays, staged at the Botswana National Stadium over the weekend, served as a crucial dress rehearsal for the global showdown in May, offering teams a chance to sharpen their relay combinations and chase qualification standards.
The meet drew seven nations, including hosts Botswana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Lesotho and Nigeria—setting the stage for a fiercely competitive sprint festival.
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Top on Kenya’s agenda heading into the showdown was securing a coveted berth for the 4x100m mixed relay squad at the World Relays, where only the top 24-ranked nations globally earn qualification.
In Gaborone, Kenya’s charge was spearheaded by Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, national indoor and outdoor 400m record holder Mercy Oketch, alongside seasoned campaigners Boniface Mweresa and Millicent Ndoro.
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The quartet delivered emphatically, storming to a national record of 41.70 seconds to clinch silver behind a slick Nigerian team of Chidera Ezeakor, Maria Omokwe, James Emmanuel and Jennifer Chukwuka, who struck gold in 41.44 seconds.
That 4x100m mixed relay's mark catapults Kenya into the World Relays qualification bracket, pending ratification, dislodging Spain’s 41.74 from 13th place and firmly placing the Kenyan quartet among the world’s elite relay units.
Before departure for Botswana, Utawala Sprints Club coach Perpetual Mbutu, who is overseeing the team, had made it clear that qualification for the mixed relay was the primary target. “This meet will be about us looking for qualification to the World Relays,” Mbutu emphasised.
“We have four teams that have already qualified; now we are pushing for the 4x100m mixed relay to join them.”
The relay teams, which were already within the qualification bracket, include the men’s 4x100m ranked 16th globally (38.35); men's 4x400m ranked 10th globally (2:59.29), and the mixed 4x400m ranked 16th globally (3:13.10), all secured at the 2025 Guangzhou World Relays. 
The women's 4x400m squad is ranked 20th globally, courtesy of a 3:27.50 finish from July last year at the Nyayo National Stadium.
In Lefika, beyond the mixed 4x100m heroics, Kenya underlined its growing relay depth with standout performances across other events.
The 4x400m mixed relay quartet of Allan Kipyego, Mercy Chebet, Oketch and Kevin Kipkorir combined seamlessly to power to gold in 3:14.04, fending off Nigeria (3:16.33) and South Africa (3:20.07).
Kenya’s men’s 4x400m team, including George Mutinda, Danson Kibet, Erastus Mbaluka and Kipyego, also struck gold. Omanyala was back on the track in the men’s 4x100m, teaming up with Mweresa, Meshack Babu and Moses Wasike to clock 39.12 seconds and secure silver behind Nigeria’s winning time of 38.98, with hosts Botswana completing the podium in 39.31.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya led the nation in congratulating the relay teams for standout performances. "Congratulations to Team Kenya, ably captained by sprint champion Ferdinand Omanyala, for an outstanding showing on the track and for bringing home gold and silver medals for the nation," Mvurya said.