Former LSU national champion Kelly-Ann Baptiste and the Trinidad & Tobago women were just a split-second shy of the medal podium at the Olympic Stadium on Friday night as they teamed to run their seasonal best of 42.12 seconds for a fifth-place finish in the Olympic final of the women’s 4×100-meter relay.
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The women, with Courtney Okolo, Taylor Ellis-Watson, Francena McCrory and Phyllis Francis running the four legs, qualified for the final with a time of 3:21.42.
The Americans finished in a time of 2:57.30, while Jamaica snatched silver with 2:58.16 and the Bahamians took bronze in 2:58.49.
The Americans, who last missed out on gold in 1992, won the first heat by a distance in three minutes 21.42 seconds and Jamaica almost matched them in the second with 3:22.38.
Her team mate Courtney Okolo set the stage for the win by grabbing the lead in the opening stage and the USA never relinquished it, pushed by Jamaica but well clear of the rest of the field by the halfway point.
The U.S. gold streak in the event started at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
It was Felix’s third medal of these Games following her gold in the 4x100m relay and silver in the 400m.
“It’s fantastic to come together with these women tonight and be able to finish it off”, Felix said.
After review, it was determined the US team passed the baton outside of the designated zone.
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Britain’s quartet of Nigel Levine, Delano Williams, Matt Hudson-Smith and Martyn Rooney came home first in their semi-final in two minutes 58.88 seconds, establishing themselves as strong medal contenders.
