Great Britain's 4 x 400m women's relay squad have a great chance of success at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan. 

Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders' individual gold and silver success over one lap of the track on Wednesday shows that the Brits have what it takes to mix with the big guns of 400m sprints. The selection for the team will be interesting, as there are six women with a chance of a place in the team.

Ohuruogu and Sanders are certain of their places but who will line up with them? Lee McConnell was the third entrant in the individual race and made the semi-finals, setting a season's best in the second round of 51.07sec  nearing her lifetime best of 50.82.  Marilyn Okoro, now an 800m specialist, has a best time over the shorter distance of 52.02, and has already shown good form in reaching the 800m semi-finals.

'As always, tactics will play a part in the relays and it could all depend which leg each athlete runs and who they come up against'


Donna Fraser has come back from injury well to post her best time of the season in a warm-up event in Osaka just over a week ago, and a personal best of 49.79 should make her a favourite for the squad.  Finally Natasha Danvers-Smith will probably be a reserve team member with a best of 53.26. However she has also shown good form over her favoured event, the 400m hurdles, in which she managed to reach the final.

However the British girls are not going to have an easy time in winning a medal in Osaka. There are lots of strong teams in the line-up and i think the medals will be decided between Team GB, USA, Jamaica and Russia.

The USA have a big, strong squad to choose from, depending on fitness. Sanya Richards will want to show the world what she an do over 400m especially as she failed to qualify for the individual event, even though she has the quickest time in the world this year of 49.52.

Dee Dee Trotter, who just missed a medal in the individual, has a best time of 49.64 this year and 200m world champion Allyson Felix has a best of 49.70, but may go in the 4 x 100m instead, and the quartet should include Natasha Hasting, who has a best of 49.84 this season. Mary Wineberg and Monique Henderson will probably  race in the heats for the USA team to help the other athletes rest before the final.

Russia also has a strong squad which should feature European champion Natalya Antyuch with a bes of 49.93 set in Osaka a few days ago. Tatayana Veshkurova (50.22), Natalya Nazarova (50.52 and Tatyana Levina (50.78) make up the strong squad which should get a medal.

Jamaica will be headed by individual world bronze medalist novleene Williams (49.66) and should go well backed up by Davita Prendagast (51.24), Shereefa Lloyd (51.00) and Shericka Williams (50.37).

As always, tactics will play a part in the relays and it could all depend which leg each athlete runs and who they come up against. I feel the USA will win gold but I hope dark horses Team GB can cause an upset and break the USA's dominance. Will anybody drop the batton? Let"s wait and see!

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