Ghana’s men’s 4x100m relay team delivered a sensational performance at the World Athletics Championships, smashing their national record and securing a coveted spot in the final with a blistering time of 37.79 seconds.
The quartet of Ibrahim Fuseini, Benjamin Azamati, Joseph Paul, and Rasheed Saminu executed near-perfect baton exchanges to clock the fastest time ever recorded by Ghanaian sprinters in the event, slashing 0.28 seconds off their previous national record of 38.07s set at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, and announcing their arrival on the global stage.
The Netherlands secured second place in the qualifying with 37.95 seconds, followed by host nation Japan with 38.07 seconds. Australia claimed fourth position with 38.21 seconds, whilst the People’s Republic of China rounded out the top five qualifiers with 38.38 seconds.
Ghana’s record-breaking run topped the qualifying standings, as the time of 37.79 turned out to be the fastest time in the heats at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, with Canada winning the first heat in 37.85, and the USA – without Noah Lyles – coming second in their heat in 37.98.
Ibrahim Fuseini got the team off to a flying start on the opening leg, before Benjamin Azamati maintained the momentum through the first bend. Joseph Paul’s powerful third leg set up anchor Rasheed Saminu perfectly for a commanding finish that had the crowd on their feet.
With their national record now standing at 37.79 seconds – a massive 0.28-second improvement from their previous best of 38.07s – the Ghanaian team will be full of confidence heading into the final. The time puts them well within contention for a medal, having demonstrated they can compete with the world’s best relay teams.
Today’s flawless performance represents a remarkable turnaround for a team that had been haunted by baton exchange problems in recent major competitions. Ghana was disqualified from the 2024 Paris Olympics after a late baton exchange in the final changeover, whilst at the 2023 African Games a delayed handover from Solomon Hammond to Joseph Paul Amoah cost them the gold medal as they finished second to Nigeria by just 0.02 seconds (38.43 vs 38.41). The team had also dropped the baton entirely at the 2024 World Relays in Bahamas.
Those painful memories seemed to fuel today’s determined display, as the quartet executed each handoff with precision and composure that had previously eluded them on the biggest stages. The smooth transitions between Ibrahim Fuseini, Benjamin Azamati, Joseph Paul, and Rasheed Saminu were a masterclass in relay running, finally showcasing the potential that had been undermined by technical errors in the past.
The final promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the championships, with Ghana’s sprinters having already exceeded expectations and written their names into the history books of Ghanaian athletics.
The 4x100m relay final is scheduled for the final day of competition at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
