LONDON, 13 Aug 2017:
Usain Bolt’s final track appearance ended with pain and frustration yesterday as he pulled up injured running the final leg of the World Championships 4×100 metres relay – as Britain stunned the US to win a shock gold medal.
Bolt, who had to settle for bronze in the individual 100 metres, had been hoping to sign off from the sport by leading Jamaica to a fifth successive world relay title – but they were struggling in a distant third place when he collected the baton.
As he tried to gain ground, Bolt pulled up and fell to the floor midway down the home straight with what was later described as cramp in his left hamstring.
However, the 60,000 in the stadium who had come to mark the farewell of sport’s greatest showman had only a split second to absorb what was happening as up ahead history was being made by the host nation.
The US, with individual 100m gold and silver medallists Justin Gatlin and Christian Coleman running the second and fourth legs, had been expected to push the Jamaicans all the way – but they were always trailing the slick Britons.
Brilliantly executed exchanges by Chijindu Ujah, Adam Gemili, Danny Talbot and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake gave Britain gold in 37.47 seconds – breaking an 18-year-old national record and European record – and securing the world title for the first time.
“I wasn’t sure if I had won or not, I gave it my all but I could see Christian Coleman out of the corner of my eye,” said Mitchell-Blake.
“The feeling of euphoria was from infinity. I can’t register it. We smashed the British record to pieces.”
Five years ago, Talbot and the 18-year-old Gemili messed up a changeover as Britain were disqualified in the semifinals of their own Olympics on the same London track – so it was a particularly sweet moment for the two.
“To run it with Danny Talbot after such disappointment in London 2012, it is so special to come back,” said Gemili, who was not selected for the individual races and missed an Olympic 200m bronze by three thousandths of a second last year.
“It’s crazy. Honestly a dream and a reality tonight.”
Britain’s only other men’s global sprint relay golds came in the 1912 and 2004 Olympics while their winning time that beat their 1999 best of 37.73 has only been bettered by Jamaica and the US.
It completed a great night for the host nation’s sprinters after their women had earlier taken silver behind the Americans in the sprint relay, their best performance since the first championships in 1983.
The US men took silver in 37.52 but for a nation that used to be totally dominant in the event, it was only their second medal in the last eight global finals after a series of world and Olympic disqualifications.
“After DQs in recent years we knew we had to get the baton round and to finish the night smoothly is a fantastic achievement and we’ll enjoy our moment on the podium,” said Gatlin.
“The Brits had a hell of a race. You can’t take it from them. They had the pressure of running on home soil and they delivered.”
On his old rival Bolt he said: “This is farewell time, I am sentimental about it already now.”
Japan took advantage of Jamaica’s travails to take third in 38.04, just holding off China (38.34).
Later, Justin Gatlin agreed with the complaints of the Jamaican relay team that a long wait before their 4x100m final at the World Championships contributed to the injury suffered by Usain Bolt in his last race.
Bolt, having been passed the baton by Yohan Blake, was in third behind Great Britain and the US – who eventually won gold and silver – but pulled up almost 50 metres from the line and fell to the track.
Jamaica’s team doctor later said that the 30-year-old had suffered a hamstring cramp.
Bolt’s team mates complained that a 45-minute wait in the call room before the race had hampered their preparations.
“I think they were holding us too long in the call room,” Blake told reporters. “Usain was really cold. In fact Usain said to me ‘Yohan, I think this is crazy’. Forty minutes and two medal presentations before our run.”
Gatlin, who beat Bolt to gold in the 100m last Saturday, agreed with the complaints and laid the blame at the television scheduling for the event.
“I know it’s TV magic, and everybody has to be prepared on time to make everything happen for the viewers at home.
“(But) I personally think that we were held in the stadium a little too long without our clothes on, and there was a little draught in there. I lost all my sweat and body heat,” Gatlin said.
When asked if he thought that contributed to Bolt’s injury, the 35-year-old said: “I believe so.
“Knowing how Usain performs, he’s always ready, he’s always making sure he’s not injured and it’s very rare to see Usain injured when he comes to performances.”
Gatlin ran the second leg for the US as they finished runners-up behind Britain, who became world champions for the first time.
Amidst the home crowd’s jubilation, there was also relief at the sight of Bolt being able to walk off the track after being helped to his feet by his team mates.
“I’m not sure what the extent of his injury is, but when I saw him go down I thought it was a calf cramp or a hamstring cramp. But he walked off the track, so that’s good thing.
“I hope that he gets well soon,” Gatlin added.
– Reuters