Road to Paris 2024: Full house of quota spots at World Relays

Athletics 06 May 24

Athletics stars were collecting Paris 2024 relay quota places like infinity stones in the Bahamas, while our artistic swimmers made a splash in the French capital.

A full house of relays

Team GB will compete in all five athletics relay events at Paris 2024 after a storming performance at the World Relay Championships in the Bahamas.

A full house of quota spots was secured by British athletes at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau, with the mixed 4x400m relay squad securing qualification on Sunday.

The result made Britain only one of two nations to clinch a clean sweep, joining the USA at the top of the qualification pool.

By progressing from the heats to the finals, the men's and women's respective 4x100m and 4x400m relays sealed the deal on Saturday.

If that wasn't enough, the women's 4x100m relay backed-up their performance with a dizzying bronze in the final.

Alyson Bell opened the race for Britain before handing off to Amy Hunt, Bianca Williams and Aleeya Sibbons who anchored the team home in 42.80 seconds.

What they said:

"I am so happy, I’m so glad I came out here it has been such a great experience racing with everyone," said Bell.

"I am really excited for what is to come. If we can do this here, God knows what we can achieve in Paris."

What's next:

The athletes will turn their attention to to individual competition on the Diamond League circuit.

With two events already complete, the Doha Diamond League is next on the schedule on May 10 and plenty of Brits are expected in action.

More European gymnastics success

Teamwork made the dream work in Rimini as Britain's women soared to European team silver.

Following a haul of silverware at the Men's European Gymnastics Championships, the women backed it up with three medals of their own.

British success started early, with Alice Kinsella clinching all-around bronze.

The 23-year-old, who took European silver in the same event in 2022, finished with a total of 53.599 across the four apparatus.

A day later and Georgia-Mae Fenton was on the podium for her first-ever major individual medal with uneven bars bronze.

While several other competitors falling in the final, Fenton held her nerve and put together a strong routine that was scored 13.9.

But it was in the team event that we saw the best result of the week, with a stunning silver on the final day.

Kinsella and Fenton joined up with Becky Downie, Abigail Martin and Ruby Evans.

With Ondine Achampong sadly having been withdrawn from the team due to an ACL tear, 16-year-old Martin stepped in for her first senior major competition and helped herself to silver on debut.

The team scored a combined 162.16 points and joined gold medallists Italy and second-placed France on the podium.

What was said:

"I'm super proud of the team and personally so happy to have put the big routine out there and get the score for these amazing girls," said Downie.

"We couldn't have done much more as a team today, to see how Abi and Ruby in particular performed in their first Europeans was incredible.

"It feels like we're in a really good place as a team and I’m excited to see what might come this summer."

What's next:

The FIG World Challenge Cup gathers speed at the end of May and into June with plenty of British athletes ready to grab some more international experience.

Medallists in the Olympic pool

Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe became Great Britain’s first medallists in the Paris 2024 Olympic Aquatics Centre with a promising gold medal in the test event.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympians blew their opponents out of the water in the duet tech event with a score of 260.0517 points.

The event marked the first time the Olympic venue was open for competition, with artistic swimmers from around the world vying to lay down a marker.

Shortman and Thorpe’s Big Ben inspired routine scored a staggering 98.25 in artistic impression and a high execution score took them top of the podium in the French capital.

What they said:

"We're gold medallists in the Olympic pool and it’s the first time we've swum in it," said Shortman.

“It's just cool to get that experience under the belt and give ourselves confidence going into the final Olympic push."

What's next:

Stop three of the artistic swimming World Cup takes place from 21 May to 2 June in Markham, Canada before the Super Final in early July.

Sevens seal Grand Final spot

The men's GB rugby sevens team grabbed the final spot at the HSBC Rugby SVNS Grand Finals with a brilliant bronze in the last regular season event in Singapore.

Needing a top-three finish to stand a chance of making the season finale, GB made a statement by downing two-time Olympic champions Fiji 19-14 in their second game of the competition.

A scorcher from Tom Emery, picking up a last-minute offload from Alex Davis and storming over the whitewash, sealed the deal in the early stages before a 35-7 win over France secured their place in the top four.

A dominant 26-7 victory over Australia in the bronze medal match booked them a ticket to the Grand Final in Madrid, the final team to complete the line-up.

What they said:

"There’s total belief between the 18 boys, the ones that are at home and couldn’t make this trip that are injured that are ready to come back in for the next one, and the boys that have slogged it out here for the last six games," said captain Robbie Fergusson.

"It’s tough going on the body but these moments make it all worthwhile."

What's next:

The HSBC SVNS Grand Final will take place from 31 May to 2 June in Madrid, Spain with the GB men's and women's teams taking to the pitch. The men's side are yet to qualify for Paris 2024, with next month's qualifier the last chance to book their Olympic spot.

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