Australia Secures 4x400m Olympic Relay Berth

WAIS sprinter Lyndsay Pekin has helped Australia qualify a berth for the women’s 4x400m relay at next year’s Rio Olympic Games after the Australian team finished seventh in the final at the 2015 IAAF World Relay Championships in the Bahamas.

Needing a finals position to ensure qualification, the Australians achieved their goal by making the top eight showpiece, with Pekin replacing Caitlin Sargent for the final, and running the anchor leg as the Australian team clocked 3:30.03.

Pekin helped the team improve its time from qualifying, whilst the mark was also the squad’s fastest from its four attempts for the season.

Anneliese Rubie (NSW) opened the campaign before Jess Gulli (Vic) delivered another strong run in the second leg. Glasgow 2014 semi-finalist Morgan Mitchell (Vic) took the reins on the third leg, before passing the baton to Pekin for the closing lap.

The qualification ensures Australia’s track stars – along with the men’s 4x400m relay squad, who themselves claimed bronze – can dream of Olympic representation.

The Australian Flame closed out the two days of competition with three bronze medals and a further two performances in the top eight. Accumulating a formidable 25 points, the team ranked fourth on the overall standings for the Golden Baton to improve on the fifth place they achieved last year.