Allyson Felix and English Gardner of the USA react after dropping the baton hand off during the women’s 4x100m relay heats in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Estadio Olimpico Joao Havelange on August 18.
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There appeared to be a shock in the heats as United States of America, the world-record holders and reigning Olympic champions, finished last after a baton mishap between Allyson Felix and English Gardner.
Felix was set to hand off to Gardner for the third leg of the relay when Felix appeared to make contact with Brazilian runner Kauiza Venancio in the lane to her right.
The IAAF said the US team would be allowed to run on their own in the evening session at 8 p.m. and try to qualify on time.
“We’re going to regroup, get ourselves together and go out there and be able to compete in the final”, Gardner said before she was aware of the extraordinary circumstances of the U.S protest.
A mix-up between Allyson Felix and English Gardner ended the hopes of the reigning Olympic champions and world-record holders. “It just completely threw me off balance”.
Gardner put her hands on her head, in utter disbelief.
However, the United States quartet saw their appeal successful, and they must now run faster than China’s time of 42.70 to reach the final.
The International Association of Athletics Federations said the US will need to run faster than 42.70 to bump China from the final.
“I know that if something is protestable, you have to finish”, Felix said after the race on NBC’s broadcast.
The most likely beneficiaries of the absence of the Americans would be Jamaica – and in particular Elaine Thompson.
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“But a successful re-run will create a second problem: Both China and Canada finished with identical 42.70-second times”.
