The US men ran an incredible relay to match the world record pace. But Jamaica was out for blood; they broke the world record of 37.04 by a significant 0.2 seconds, bringing them to a solid 36.84. The first half of the race, it looked like America was hanging onto the lead, but as soon as Yohan Blake got the baton, America could feel their gold slipping away. Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay are the two fastest 100m runners you’d want in this kind of race, but when you go head to head with Usain Bolt, there’s just no winning it. Gatlin and Bolt got their batons at almost the exact same instant with Bolt dominating the last 100 meters.
Jamaica is loaded with sprinting talent; they weren’t even able to run with injured Asafa Powell who was a part of the 2008 winning relay team. The team of Gatlin, Gay, Trell Kimmons, and Ryan Bailey did the US proud, though. To tie a world record set by a Jamaican team is outstanding. And to come in just one step behind Bolt in any race is certainly an accomplishment. Finishing out the podium spots was Trinidad and Tobago – only after Canada was disqualified for stepping ever-so-slightly out of their lane. The Canadian team was crushed, having been celebrating their medal seconds before their disqualification was announced.
On the podium, Trinidad and Tobago was thanking their lucky stars to be standing next to two amazing teams. The US was definitely hoping for more, but they looked happy receiving their silver medals. None compared to the antics of Bolt, though. He hammed up every opportunity he got, and the British crowd spurred him forward. Meanwhile, Blake mouthed the words to their national anthem with his eyes closed. Admittedly, Bolt is much more soft-spoken when people talk to him one-on-one. He humbly thanked Great Britain for being so welcoming and thanked the people at home who gave the team all the sporting facilities they needed to achieve success.
For the second night in a row, the US just missed out on a relay gold, but the winning Jamaican team will surely go down in history as one of the greatest foursomes to ever come together.
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Michelle Bonja
Contributing Writer
(Image courtesy of NBC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
