U.S. qualifies for four Olympic track and field relays on first day of World Athletics Relays

The U.S. track and field team qualified for four Olympic relays — men’s and women’s 4x100m, women’s 4x400m and mixed-gender 4x400m — by placing in the top two of their first-round heats at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas on Saturday.

Noah Lyles, who swept 100m, 200m and 4x100m golds at last August’s world championships, anchored the U.S. men’s 4x100m to win their heat, advancing to Sunday’s final, where results determine lane draws at the Paris Olympics.

Gabby Thomas, part of the U.S. women’s 4x100m that took gold at last August’s worlds, was also on the U.S. quartet that won its 4x100m heat Saturday.

The U.S. also won heats in the women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m. The U.S. men’s 4x400m crossed the finish line first but was later disqualified over a rule that World Athletics lists as “exchanging positions before takeover.”

WORLD RELAYS: Full Results

The U.S. men’s 4x400m can still qualify for the Olympics by finishing in the top two of a repechage round on Sunday or by being one of the top two not already qualified nations in world rankings on June 30. The U.S. currently leads those rankings via its 2023 World Championships win in the world’s fastest time during the Olympic qualifying window.

The U.S. has competed in every relay in Olympic history save the boycotted 1980 Moscow Games and owns the most medals and gold medals in relays.

The Americans who make up the Paris Olympic relay pools will be determined by individual 100m and 400m results at the Olympic Trials from June 21-30 in Eugene, Oregon.

At the Tokyo Games, the U.S. took gold in the men’s and women’s 4x400m, silver in the women’s 4x100m and bronze in the Olympic debut of the mixed 4x400m. The U.S. men’s 4x100m was eliminated in the first round in Tokyo and last won Olympic gold in 2000.

In total, 16 nations will qualify for each relay for the Paris Olympics. The first eight per relay qualified on Saturday. Six more will qualify from Sunday’s repechage rounds for each relay. Then the last two in each event will qualify based on world rankings on June 30.

Jamaica, which is traditionally the U.S.’ primary rival in relays, qualified for the Olympic men’s 4x100m on Saturday.

Jamaica was third in its heats in the men’s, women’s and mixed 4x400m and fifth in its women’s 4x100m heat without stars Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson.

Jamaica took silver in the women’s 4x100m at last August’s world championships, all but ensuring it will qualify for the Olympic women’s 4x100m via world ranking if it doesn’t grab a spot at World Relays.

The World Athletics Relays conclude Sunday with finals live from 7 p.m. ET on CNBC, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and Peacock.