Paris, Oct 12 (AFP) The 2019 athletics World Relays will be held in the Japanese city of Yokohama after the hosts for the last three editions, the Bahamas, were no longer able to offer financial backing, the IAAF said Friday.

"After the Bahamas government confirmed that it would no longer be able to offer the financial guarantee that underpinned the event in Nassau, several member federations contacted the IAAF directly to express their interest in hosting the 2019 World Relays," the IAAF said in a statement.

"Following very careful consideration, Japan was considered to be the preferred location."

Yokohama, Japan's second largest city by population, will host the two-day competition on May 11 and 12.

"This will also be a great opportunity for our athletes to experience the culture and conditions of the host nation little more than a year before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games," said IAAF president Sebastian Coe.

The Nassau Guardian newspaper reported in July that the event cost the Bahamas USD 5 million to host.

The 2017 event featured men's and women's 4x100 metres, 4x200m, 4x400m and 4x800m relays, as well as a mixed 4x400m race that will be introduced at the 2019 world championships in Doha ahead of its Olympic debut in Tokyo. AFP SSC SSC

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