Usain Bolt leads Jamaica to 4x100m gold as error ruins Great Britain hopes

Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to win a messy, dramatic 4x100m final for Jamaica in Beijing. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

AS Justin Gatlin passed the baton to Tyson Gay with a lead in the 4x100m relay at halfway, he must have thought a measure of redemption was in sight. But if these championships have taught us one thing, it is this: never, ever write off Usain Bolt.

By the end, Gatlin looked on dismayed as Bolt stormed home again to win his third gold of these championships, his third victory over Gatlin and his 11th world title.

There was worse news to come for the Americans when they were disqualified altogether following a botched final changeover, handing the silver to China amid delirium among the home crowd.

If the sight of Bolt streaking down the home straight to in the Bird’s Nest wasn’t enough to induce a feeling of deja vu, then the British team’s own snafu on the final changeover when well placed to take bronze was even more familiar.

Afterwards, there were furious recriminations among the British quartet as they blamed a late switch to the team, with CJ Ujah coming in for Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and running the anchor leg.

Just as at the last two world championships and here in the Bird’s Nest in 2008, their failure to get the baton round cost them a medal.

Long after Bolt had joined his team-mates Nesta Carter, Asafa Powell and Nickel Ashmeade in wild celebrations the British baton was still lying on the track.

“It’s just heartbreaking, we were clearly in bronze,” said the lead-off man, Richard Kilty. “It’s teamwork. As soon as you start to switch things and take risks that’s what happens.”

For Bolt, who came into the world championships amid intense speculation about his form and under pressure from his 33-year-old American rival, there was no explosion at the finish. ust a broad smile and a nod of the head, as if to acknowledge a job well done.
“I saw the mess after 300m and I was happy I was not in it,” said Bolt afterwards. Asked what had happened to the Americans, he added: “It’s called pressure. They won the world relays and the pressure was on them.”

When it comes to Gatlin and Bolt in the Bird’s Nest, familiarity has not bred contempt. But there was plenty of bad blood between the two teams following their beef at the world relay championships in April.

After the US won the 4x100m, Ryan Bailey, not part of the quartet here, ended with a spoof version of Bolt’s “To Di World” signature pose and finished with a throat-slitting gesture.

Here, the final changeover was a comedy of errors for both Britain and America. First Gay – who said he found it hard to focus because of the noise streaming down from the stands – missed Mike Rodgers’ outstretched hand before finally managing to complete the changeover outside the box.

As if spooked, Britain’s James Ellington was unable to catch Ujah and he too ran out of the box. Ellington slammed the baton to the ground, where it stayed. Afterwards, the trio of British runners, who had cruised through the heats, furiously blamed British Athletics for chopping and changing a settled formula.

In the confusion, Bolt greedily took the Jamaican baton from Ashmeade and strolled home in 37.36sec, the best time in the world this year. “We were confident, we knew we would win. We wanted a world record but it did not happen. Big-up Jamaica,” said the chief rabble rouser Powell, who ran the second leg and surrendered the lead to Gatlin.

James Ellington of Great Britain and Tyson Gay of the US attempt to hand over their batons to CJ Ujah of GB and Mike Rodgers. Photograph: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images for IAAF

It was Jamaica’s third world title in a row at this event, with Olympic victories at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 also underlining their dominance.
Given the undercurrent to these championships, it was impossible not to note that three of the four US team members had served doping bans. As had Powell, the Jamaican team captain.

The biggest cheers were for the Chinese quartet who finished third and were later upgraded to silver when the Americans were disqualified. Canada finished with bronze.

At last the Bird’s Nest crowd had some home success to celebrate and they did so by serenading their new hero Su Bingtian with a mass rendition of Happy Birthday.

“We felt a lot of pressure, but thanks to the crowd support we were able to make history,” said Zhang Peimeng, who ran the anchor leg.

In the first showdown of the night between the two sprinting superpowers, first blood had also gone to Jamaica in the women’s 4x100m. Starting in lane seven, with world champions Jamaica and then the world record holders USA inside them, the British quartet were on the back foot from the first changeover when Dina Asher-Smith appeared to set off too early.

But they recovered impressively to set a new British record and in contrast to the men there were no recriminations. “It’s bittersweet – national record but fourth place, we were definitely coming for a medal,” said Jodie Williams.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce brought Jamaica home in 41.07, embracing her team-mates on the track as they finished in a new championship record time. The US followed in 41.68, with Trinidad & Tobago third.  Guardian.com