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Lausanne

Swiss relay runners on fire, heading for Tokyo

Bingo for the Swiss women’s 4x100m relay team! At the World Relay Championships in Guangzhou (Canton), China, Melissa Gutschmidt, Céline Bürgi, Léonie Pointet, and Emma Van Camp secured their qualification for the World Athletics Championships this September in Tokyo.

The quartet, coached by Kim Beytrison, recorded the 11th fastest time with 43.35 seconds. In an unprecedented lineup, the four young women didn’t make it to the final but finished second in their repechage heat on Sunday, earning their ticket to Tokyo. It was a magnificent comeback after a missed first round the day before, marked by a disqualification due to a faulty baton exchange between Léonie and Emma.

Before Tokyo, Céline Bürgi and the three Vaudoises in the team (Van Camp being technically from Valais but running for Lausanne-Sports) will have a chance to shine in front of a home crowd at Athletissima on August 20, in a 4x100m race that will serve as a final rehearsal for the World Championships.

Also noteworthy: the women’s 4x400m team (Julia Niederberger, Salome Hüsler, Karin Disch, Annina Fahr) also qualified for Tokyo, with the 14th best time (3:32.37), placing third in their repechage heat.