ORGANISERS of the inaugural IAAF World Relays are expecting two sold-out sessions for this weekend’s two-day competition to be held at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas.

A release from the IAAF on Wednesday said the stadium had been sold out, confirming what Bahamas track and field president Michael Sands told the Jamaica Observer in an interview in Philadelphia in late April.

Relays teams from more than 40 countries, including Jamaica, will take part in five different relays ranging from 4x100m to 4x1500m for male and female. The top eight teams in both the 4x100m and 4x400m will qualify for the IAAF World Championships next year in China.

Jamaica named a 40-member team that will participate in the men’s 4x100m, 4×200 and 4x400m, while the women will take part in a fourth event, the 4x800m.

A worldwide audience will also be able to watch the events live and delayed, the IAAF release also said.

Meanwhile, the teams will be trying to win a portion of the US$1.4 million that will be on offer, plus World Record incentives.

All eight finalists will receive cash incentives with the winners getting US$50,000, second place US$30,000 and third-place US$20,000.

Fourth place gets US$12,000,

fifth-place US$10,000, sixth-placeUS$8,000, seventh-place US$6,000 and eighth-place US$4,000.

Any world record set will attract a further US$50,000 from the IAAF, the release also said.

— Paul Reid