Sport
Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce anchor Jamaica to sweep gold in both men’s and women’s 4×100 relay in Moscow
Usain Bolt. PHOTO/File
(Reuters) – Usain Bolt, already enshrined as one of the greatest Olympians of all time, became the most successful athlete in world championship history when he anchored Jamaica to victory in the 4×100 meters relay on Sunday.
Bolt followed up the 100 and 200m double with his third gold in the final event, taking his all-time tally to eight.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also completed the hat-trick as Jamaica won the women’s 4×100 relay in the second-fastest time ever, giving them all six sprint golds in Moscow to bring a smile back to the Caribbean island-nation following the doping cloud surrounding the build-up to Moscow.
On a high-quality final day, there was a Kenyan middle-distance double as Asbel Kiprop retained his 1,500 meters title and Eunice Sum took a surprise gold in the women’s 800.
Traditionally athletics programs ended with the 4x400m relay but such is Bolt’s worldwide selling power that recent events have been rejigged to ensure the Jamaican gets top billing. Jamaica were pipped by Britain in the heats but the favorites drafted in Bolt and Nickel Ashmeade, while the U.S., unusually, used the same four in their evening heat as in the final. Initially it seemed to be working in the Americans’ favor as they led approaching the final bend but Rakieem Salaam’s handover to Justin Gatlin left the individual 100m runner-up off balance. He clearly strayed into the Jamaicans’ lead outside him but somehow escaped disqualification.
It made no difference to Bolt, who streaked clear to complete victory in 37.36 seconds, the sixth-fastest ever, with the U.S. in 37.66.
Bolt delighted the crowed with a celebratory Cossack dance, not easy for someone 6ft 5ins tall, before parading round the track with his three medals on show for 50,000 flashing cameras. “It gets harder every year as I get older but I’m proud of myself and my team mates and I’ll continue to work as hard as I can to dominate for as long as possible,” Bolt said.
Jamaica’s female quartet of Carrie Russell, Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert and Fraser-Pryce were celebrating their gold win in 41.29.
Having become the fourth-fastest 1,500m runner of all time last month, Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop started hot favorite and nobody could live with his long-striding acceleration over the last 200 meters as he triumphed in 3:36.28. His compatriot Eunice Sum’s victory was much less expected as her late burst denied Russia’s Mariya Savinova back-to-back 800m titles.
She took gold in 1:57.38, ahead of Savinova (1:57.80). Brenda Martinez grabbed third as she overhauled compatriot Alysia Johnson Montano, who had run a brave front-running race but ended fourth, flat on the track and sobbing uncontrollably.
Russia topped the medal table with seven golds, though the Americans will promote themselves top under their counting system after finishing second on six but also gathering a mountain of 14 silvers in a total of 25. Jamaica also had six golds with Kenya on five, Germany four and Ethiopia and Britain both on three.