Smooth baton exchanges secure USA gold in 4x100m relay

Sha'Carri Richardson anchors USA to victory at Paris Olympics for 12th gold after Britain fumbles final exchange

PARIS:

The United States secured the gold medal in the Olympic women's 4x100 metres relay on Friday, earning their 12th title in the event. The team, comprising Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha Terry, Paris Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas, and Sha'Carri Richardson, completed the race in 41.78 seconds, executing three smooth baton handovers without any significant errors.

In contrast, the British team faced difficulties during their final baton exchange. Strong performances from Dina Asher-Smith, Imani Lansiquot, and Amy Hunt had put Britain in the lead, but Hunt struggled to pass the baton to Daryll Neita in the heavy rain at Stade de France. This mishap caused Neita to lose momentum, leaving Richardson with a clear path to the finish line.

Richardson celebrated as she crossed the finish line and again when the scoreboard, which initially showed Britain in the lead, corrected the results to reflect the US victory.

"Realising that we won, it was a phenomenal feeling for all of us," Richardson shared with reporters. She expressed her confidence in Thomas, saying, "I just remember trusting my third leg, trusting Gabby, and knowing that she's going to put this thing in my hand no matter what."

Thomas also expressed her pride in the team's achievement, particularly in handing the baton to Richardson, who is known for her speed. "Obviously, passing the baton to Sha'Carri is very special. I felt very proud and very grateful. We got the gold," Thomas added.

Despite the setback, Neita managed to bring Britain home in 41.85 seconds, securing the silver medal, while Germany claimed bronze with a time of 41.97 seconds. Reflecting on the race, Neita said, "I was not going to let these ladies down. As soon as I got the baton, I was like, 'Go, go, go.' And to be leaving with an Olympic silver medal and on the podium, representing Great Britain, we are so proud."

The silver medal was particularly meaningful for Asher-Smith and Neita, both of whom had narrowly missed out on individual medals earlier in the Games. Asher-Smith finished fourth in the 200m, and Neita missed the 100m bronze by just four hundredths of a second.

The US has historically dominated the sprint relay but had to settle for silver behind their rivals, Jamaica, at the Tokyo Games. However, in Paris, Jamaica's team was weakened by the absence of their top sprinters, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Shericka Jackson, all of whom were sidelined due to injury.