Australia’s Remarkable Bronze in Men’s 4x400m at World Relays
Australia made history by securing a bronze medal in the men’s 4x400m relay at the World Athletics Relays, setting a new national record in the process. This achievement marked the second time the national record had been broken within two days, showcasing the team’s incredible performance and potential.
The team consisting of Luke van Ratingen, Reece Holder, Thomas Reynolds, and Aidan Murphy delivered a time that would have won gold at every world championships and Olympics in history, except for the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart and the 2024 Paris Olympics. Their time of 2:55.20 is not only the fastest bronze medal time in 4x400m history but also the sixth-fastest in global history.
This remarkable performance capped off Australia’s campaign in Botswana, where they became the only country to qualify for every relay event at the 2027 World Championships. The final race was hailed as one of the greatest 4x400m races in history, with Botswana taking gold in a championship record of 2:54.47, followed by South Africa (2:55.07) and Australia (2:55.20).
A Historic Breakthrough
On day one of the World Relays, an Australian team featuring van Ratingen, Holder, Matthew Hunt, and Murphy set a new national record with a time of 2:57.30. This broke the previous record that had stood since 1984, when a team including Darren Clark, Bruce Frayne, Gary Minihan, and Rick Mitchell ran 2:59.70 at the Los Angeles Olympics.
In just one day, the team managed to slash more than two seconds off the record, highlighting their exceptional progress and dedication. Inside the packed stadium in Gaborone, van Ratingen started the relay with a split of 44.86 seconds, followed by Holder’s blistering 43.12-second lap. Reynolds then clocked 43.43 seconds, and Murphy completed the leg with a time of 43.79 seconds.
Murphy, known as a top sprinter from Adelaide, recently ran second to teen sensation Gout Gout in the 200m final at the national championships in Sydney. Both Gout (19.67) and Murphy (19.88) broke the previous national record.
Reactions and Future Prospects
After the 4x400m final, Holder expressed his excitement about the team’s performance. “It was so surreal and such a vibe out there,” he said. “To come out and win a medal and do a time like that is pretty incredible.”
Australia’s 2:55.20 time is the sixth-fastest in 4x400m history. The second and final day of the World Relays also saw Australia finish fourth in the men’s 4x100m. A team featuring Lachlan Kennedy, Josh Azzopardi, Christopher Ius, and Olympic semi-finalist Rohan Browning clocked 38.00 seconds, finishing just .20 of a second behind bronze medallists Germany.
“I think we are improving every year which is exciting,” Ius said. “But to show the rest of the world what we can do is such a good thing.”
Looking ahead, Australia could potentially include Gout and Kiwi defector Eddie Nketia in the men’s 4x100m squad for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Qualification and Investment
Australia is currently the only country qualified for all six relay events at the Beijing 2025 World Championships: the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m, and the mixed 4x100m and 4x400m. This success is a testament to the investment Australian Athletics (AA) has made in relay running since the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.
