By J. Sawyer and Associates

The Bahamas will host the IAAF World Relays on April 22 and April 23 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium where world classed athletes will compete for the coveted Golden Baton.

The World Relays, governed by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), will feature some of the best track athletes in the world including recent medallists from the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The IAAF was founded on July 17, 1912 by seventeen national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation.

The Bahamas is the first and only country to ever host the IAAF World Relays. It became the host country of the IAAF World Relays when in 2013, former IAAF President, Lamine Diack, made the decision based on the unique appeal of the country and its people in their role as hosts of a tourism-based nation. The decision was also based on The Bahamas’ rich history in athletics, relays in particular.

Agreements thereafter placed The Bahamas as host of the relays until 2019.

Rosamunde Carey, CEO, IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2017, promises an organized event which will live up to the confidence the IAAF has in The Bahamas as a host country.

“We can almost say we are veterans at hosting the World Relays,” said Carey. “We will put the same top notch effort into this year’s relays that we put in relays we have hosted in the past. The Bahamas is at the forefront of athletics and we are going to continue to live up to our reputation as a sporting nation.

“We look forward to connecting with some 700 athletes, showcasing our very own star athletes and of course giving our guests a taste of our beautiful island and our unique culture.”