By Joe Battaglia

NASSAU – The domestic relay season ended about a month ago, and many global track and field enthusiasts have turned their attention to the Diamond League and the rest of the summer slate.

 

SKREEEEK!

 

That sound you just heard (or read, to be more accurate) was the IAAF urging fans of the sports, "Wait! Not so fast."
 

This weekend nearly 600 athletes from 43 countries have made their way here to the Caribbean to compete in the inaugural World Relays Championships, the newest event on the international track and field calendar. The event has sold out the new 15,000-seat Thomas A Robinson Stadium and promises to deliver electrifying performances and fervor under ideal racing conditions.

 

Here are five storylines to follow from this baton-passing extravaganza.

 

Sun, sand, and speed: Does the battle between the U.S. and Jamaica in the sprints ever get old? We think not. Although some of the main protagonists among veterans of these sprint wars will be either absent (Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay, Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter) or doubtful due to injury (Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce), that doesn't mean there will be any less intrigue.
 

Jamaica rates a distinct edge in the men's 4x100m with a relay pool consisting of 2011 100m world champion Yohan Blake, Oshane Bailey, Kemar Bailey-Cole, Nesta Carter, Andrew Fisher and Michael Frater. The U.S. will counter with Mike Rodgers, Trell Kimmons, Calesio Newman, Charles Silmon, Marvin Bracy and Rakieem Salaam.
 

Should Fraser-Pryce be unable to go for Jamaica, things figure to be closer in the women's race. Jamaica would be left with Carrie Russell, Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert, Natasha Morrison and Samantha Henry-Robinson to take on the U.S. pool of Alexandria Anderson, Tianna Bartoletta, LaKeisha Lawson, Barbara Pierre, Stacey-Ann Smith, and Jeneba Tarmoh. None of the Americans were on the world-record winning relay at the London Olympics.
 

Fans will be treated to double the fun as the seldom-run 4x200m relay will be contested here as well. In the men's race, Jamaica rates a distinct advantage behind Nickel Ashmeade and Worlds silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist Warren Weir, and could challenge the 20-year-old world record of 1:18.68. The U.S. will be formidable with Wallace Spearmon, Walter Dix, Ameer Webb, Isaiah Young, Curtis Mitchell and Maurice Mitchell.
 

On the women's side, the presence or not of Fraser-Pryce looms large for Jamaica, especially given the experience in the U.S. relay pool with Tori Bowie, Paris Daniels, Kimberlyn Duncan, Bianca Knight, Tawanna Meadows and Shalonda Solomon. 

 

Good, old fashioned revenge: The U.S. men's and women's teams will each have axes to grind in the 4x400m as they look to make amends for losses in the recent major championships. The U.S. men's squad was a shade of its usual dominant self at the London Olympics two summers ago, decimated by an injury to LaShawn Merritt and later Manteo Mitchell, who broke his left fibula during the heats. The Bahamas capitalized and took the gold behind Demetrius Pinder, Michael Mathieu, Ramon Miller and Chris Brown. Those four are back in the relay pool and will be looking to thrill the home crowd with another victory. It won't be easy, however, as a better-than-ever Merritt teams with Tony McQuay and 2011 world triple jump champion Christian Taylor, who ran a PB 45.27 last month. 
 

The U.S. women dominated in London thanks to Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross, but without either runner available at the World Championships last year, Russia stormed to gold. The Russians will run a totally different quartet here than they did in winning in Moscow and the return of Richards-Ross probably makes the U.S. the favorite once again.

 

Kenyans hunting gold, records: Perhaps the most welcomed part of this event is the inclusion of the middle distance relays, which are never contested at the major championships. This, obviously, opens up a door for Kenya to strut its stuff in four races.
 

And the Kenyans will be formidable.
 

In the men's 4x800m, the squad will be led by Alfred Kipketer, Ferguson Cheruiyot, Job Kinyor, Nicholas Kipkoech, and Sammy Kirongo, all five of whom clocked times under 1:46 at the Kenyan Trials at altitude in Nairobi. Their closest competitor figures to be the U.S., led by Duane Solomon, David Torrence, Michael Rutt and Robby Andrews, but that foursome could find itself at nearly a five-second disadvantage based on 2014 times.
 

In the men's 4x1500m, Kenya's stated goal is to take down its five-year-old world record of 14:36.23, which averages out to 3:39 per man. Every member of the pool here -- Collins Cheboi, James Mugut, Nixon Chepseba, Silas Kiplagat and Asbel Kiprop – has run 3:32 or faster. Realistically, no one else should be close.
 

On the women's side, the 4x800m could be the most exciting race of the entire meet. While the Soviet Union's doping-suspicious world record of 7:50.17 – a preposterous 1:57.5 average – is likely safe, you can kiss the American record of 8:04.31 goodbye while watching gold up for grabs.
 

On paper, Kenya would seem to rate a slight edge, largely because Eunice Sum is the fastest woman in the field and the prospect of Janeth Jepkosgei turning back the clock six or seven years to her 1:56 form. But the U.S. will counter with a more-balanced team that will include Worlds bronze medalist Branda Martinez, World Indoor champion Chanelle Price, American junior record holder Ajee Wilson, and former 2-time NCAA champion Lara Geena. 
 

In the 4x1500m, Kenya is coming off setting the world record of 17:05.72 at altitude in Nairobi at its Trials with Mercy Cherono, Irene Jelagat, Ann Karindi Mwangi and Perin Nengampi. Nengampi has been swapped for 2012 world indoor champion Hellen Obiri, who recently set an African 3000m record, as the Kenyans look to put this record out of reach for some time.

 

It's all about the Benjamins (or the Queen Elizabeths in Bahamian dollars): If pride-in-your-tribe is not enough motivation for the athletes, there is always money dangling out there as an enticing carrot. A total of $1.4 million in prize money will be paid by the IAAF with winning relays awarded money on a sliding scale from $50,000 for first place to $4000 for eighth place. Additionally, there will be a $50,000 bonus awarded to any team breaking a world record.

Here are the standards teams will be chasing for the extra cha-ching:

Men
4x100m: 36.84 (Jamaica, August 11, 2012, London)
4x200m: 1:18.68 (United States, April 17, 1994, Walnut, Calif.)
4x400m: 2:54.29 (United States, August 22, 1993, Stuttgart)
4x800m: 7:02.43 (Kenya, August 25, 2006, Brussels)
4x1500m: 14:36.23 (Kenya, September 4, 2009, Brussels)
 

Women
4x100m: 40.82 (United States, August 10, 2012, London)
4x200m: 1:27.46 (United States, April 29, 2000, Philadelphia)
4x400m: 3:15.17 (Soviet Union, October 1, 1988, Seoul)
4x800m: 7:50.17 (Soviet Union, August 5, 1984, Moscow)
4x1500m: 17:05.72 (Kenya, April 26, 2014, Nairobi)

 

From the beaches to Beijing: The meet is more than just a talent showcase or a nationalistic rah, rah event in a non-major championship summer for the athletes competing in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. The top eight finishers in those events, both men and women, will qualify automatically for the World Championships next summer in China.

 

What's the big deal about that? Well, for the traditional powers like the U.S., Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Russia, it really isn't that huge as all are locks to hit qualifying standards, if they haven't already. But for the nations that don't fall into that category, like say Kenya in the men's 4x400m or Japan in the women's 4x100m, it is an enormous opportunity to avoid having to chase a qualifying mark. Besides, anything that adds a little spice to the back of the relay pack is a welcome ingredient.