US Team Leads 4×100m Relay Final at Home
US Team Leads 4×100m Relay Final at Home – The United States have a woeful recent record in the men’s 4×100 metres relay but their quartet got the job done in Friday’s heats at the World Championships despite the added pressure of running on the home track.
The American team, which has experienced a string of disqualifications and setbacks in the World Championships and Olympics since taking home the gold at the 2000 Sydney Games, was applauded by the audience at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, after each handover.
Only three world championships have been won by American teams since 2001, and they haven’t placed first at the Olympics since Sydney.
Noah Lyles, who didn’t exhibit any signs of exhaustion after winning the 200m gold on Thursday, took over after Christian Coleman got the Americans off to a quick start.
Elijah Hall’s handoff to Marvin Bracy was far from perfect but the 100m silver medallist powered through to the line to bring the Americans home in 37.87 seconds, ahead of Britain and Ghana.
Nigeria and Japan were disqualified from the heat 1 of the relays.
“This is a fun part,” said Coleman, the Doha 100m champion. “If we put it together right, you know what I am saying, we can definitely come with the win.”
The United States will not be able to call on 100m champion Fred Kerley for the final after he sustained a slight injury to his quad in the 200m semis but Bracy was full of optimism.
“Tomorrow it is about the win so we will try to put some more effort, energy and try to come out with the American record,” he said.
Results Heat 1
- United States – 37.87 WL Q
- Great Britain – 38.49 Q
- Ghana – 38.58 SB
- Germany – 38.83
- China – 38.83 SB
- Netherlands – 39.07
- Nigeria – DQ
- Japan – DQ
Heat 2
- France – 38.09 SB Q
- Canada – 38.10 SB Q
- South Africa – 38.31 SB Q
- Jamaica – 38.33 q
- Brasil – 38.41 SB q
- Spain -38.70 SB
- Italy -38.74 Sb
- Denmark – DNF