Here was the US line-up for last night’s men’s 4x100m relay: 100m World champion Christian Coleman, former champion and current 100m World silver medallist Justlin Gatlin, Pan American Games champion Michael Rodgers and 200m World champion Noah Lyles.
So that part of the plan to win the event was, let’s say, in the bag.
Relays are thrilling as they are chaotic and the baton game plays a crucial role in deciding the winner.
The American quartet, however, worked like clockwork. Coleman to Gatlin to Rodgers to Lyles and the result was the third fastest time in history and second fastest at the IAAF World Athletics Championships – 37.10 seconds.
“We put out the results. There are gold medals everywhere on the team,” said the showman that Lyles is.
Two years ago Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake had anchored Great Britain and Northern Ireland to a surprise gold ahead of United States and Japan. Mitchell-Blake anchored the team once again but was against a sensational Lyles in the final leg, and the Brits had to settle for silver, with Japan winning bronze yet again.
Coleman, who also capped the Worlds with two golds like Lyles, said, “I am all over the moon right now. I knew we have the talent to come out here. I knew I had to take care of the 100m first. It’s been a great couple of weeks.”
The veteran of the team, 37-year-old Gatlin, added: “This team is brotherhood. We have always had fast guys who make it to the finals in the 100m and 200, but we never had the time to bond and get to know each other, and count on each other to get the job done together. We just sticked around (today) and make magic happen.”
The Jamaican women too set a world leading time of 41.44 seconds as the 400m specialist Shericka Jackson brought it home to reverse the London podium order in the women’s 4x100m relay a few minutes earlier, even as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won her second gold of the championships, having earlier bagged the 100m title.
“I am extremely excited to showcase my talent. This success did not come without hardship and pain and sacrifices. There are so many things that happen on this journey. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had, to my family and friends, to be able to be part of this journey,” Fraser-Pryce, who won the 100m gold a few days back, said after the relay victory.
The 200m champion and 100m silver medallist Dina Asher-Smith along with Daryll Neita, Imani Lansiquot and Ashleigh Nelson ensured second straight Worlds silver for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, who had finished behind the United States in the London edition in 2017.
In the process, Asher-Smith also became the first Brit to win three medals at a major athletics championships.
“It was absolutely fantastic to go and run out there and we are on the best way to Tokyo. We are ready. We worked for this really hard. The relays have always just fantastic atmosphere. I think relays are one of the best things in the timetable. All the drama, excitement and when you got all the people specifically running for their country, the crowds were amazing,” Asher-Smith said after the relay.
The US team, who ran a season’s best 42.10 for their bronze, were already looking forward to Tokyo. “We are happy, no regrets. We will see about Tokyo and start the preparation in about two or three weeks’ time,” said Morolake Akinosun, who ran the third leg.
Dezerea Bryant, who started the proceedings for the US, said, “We did not win gold or silver because we needed better execution. The talent is there. We trained the relay only for two, three days.”
However, Teahna Daniels added a dose of optimism when she said, “We are happy and excited. The season is over and we can come home with a medal.”