Running the second leg in the relay, Felix kept the US up there with the mighty Jamaicans, before English Gardner and Tori Bowie brought the baton, tightly clenched in their hands, home for gold.
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Rio de Janeiro, Aug 18 (AFP) The United States’ 4x100m women’s relay team won their solo race against the clock to book their place in the Olympic final Thursday. She is now second on the all-time list in track and field behind Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey, who won nine Olympic medals from 1980 to 2004.
“Honestly, I feel like it was just like a glorified practice”.
US had an appeal accepted and finished their re-run with a time of 41.77secs – the fastest of any team ahead of Friday night’s final. And they definitely made the most of it.
“I’m extremely happy”, said Bartoletta after the race.
The Chinese, who had unsuccessfully appealed against the success of the American appeal, will have grounds for feeling hard done by after only being placed eighth behind the Canadians by six thousandths of a second.
Unsurprisingly, the world record holders managed it easily, clocking up a time of 41.77 seconds.
Also in the World Championships in 2015, the US women’s team also committed a costly error in the 4×400. “We had to leave it with the authority”, she said.
As is the case with so many relays the US has run over the years, this was anything but routine.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce anchored the Jamaicans to victory in the first heat in 41.79, opening the door for Elaine Thompson to sweep the sprint medals at the Rio Olympics.
“It felt like we were really strong tonight”. Jamaica’s relay team also made it through, finishing second in its heat without Usain Bolt, who was resting up for the 200-meter final later in the evening. The lead-off runner, Bartoletta, returned to the track a little more than 12 hours after taking gold in the long jump.
With three full days of competition to come after Thursday, the United States has 20 medals in track and field, including 6 gold. “Two golds, a silver, I can’t complain”, she said.
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It was the third medal for Bowie at the 2016 Olympics.
