On Saturday at the World Track and Field Championships, the U.S. women’s 4×100 relay won gold. Melissa Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini, and Twanisha Terry made it around the track perfectly in 41.14 seconds.
Though Jamaica won gold last summer and was predicted to win again, one unsmooth handoff cost them the race. As a champion, Terry says, “you could have the four fastest women, but if you don’t have chemistry and the baton doesn’t move through the exchange zone, then what are you doing?”
After the successful race, the U.S. men were up next. The expectations were there, and the crowd was pumped. But again, the handoffs were not. The team of Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, Elijah Hall, and Marvin Bracy ran smoothly until the 4th handoff when Hall fell while handing off the baton to Bracy. Canada was able to finish in 37.48 seconds and the U.S. finished in 37.55, taking silver.
Bracy said, “when you sweep the 100 and the 200, you expect to come out here and perform better.” The men have not won gold in the 4×100 relay for 22 years. In 5 world championships, the U.S was disqualified twice, never finished once, and took 2 silver medals. Last year, the team didn’t even make it past prelims for simply being too slow. Though the team has consisted of the fastest men in the world and is always predicted to take gold, they have fallen to errors time after time.
The U.S. men’s 4×100 relay has always had its fair share of unimpressive races. This year was no different, falling to a handoff. But on the bright side, the women’s model race that took place right before was unforgettable.
Link To Article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658689501263x566932084594871100/American%20Men%20Win%20the%20Silver%20in%20the%204×100-Meter%20Relay.%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
Though Jamaica won gold last summer and was predicted to win again, one unsmooth handoff cost them the race. As a champion, Terry says, “you could have the four fastest women, but if you don’t have chemistry and the baton doesn’t move through the exchange zone, then what are you doing?”
After the successful race, the U.S. men were up next. The expectations were there, and the crowd was pumped. But again, the handoffs were not. The team of Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, Elijah Hall, and Marvin Bracy ran smoothly until the 4th handoff when Hall fell while handing off the baton to Bracy. Canada was able to finish in 37.48 seconds and the U.S. finished in 37.55, taking silver.
Bracy said, “when you sweep the 100 and the 200, you expect to come out here and perform better.” The men have not won gold in the 4×100 relay for 22 years. In 5 world championships, the U.S was disqualified twice, never finished once, and took 2 silver medals. Last year, the team didn’t even make it past prelims for simply being too slow. Though the team has consisted of the fastest men in the world and is always predicted to take gold, they have fallen to errors time after time.
The U.S. men’s 4×100 relay has always had its fair share of unimpressive races. This year was no different, falling to a handoff. But on the bright side, the women’s model race that took place right before was unforgettable.
Link To Article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658689501263x566932084594871100/American%20Men%20Win%20the%20Silver%20in%20the%204×100-Meter%20Relay.%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
