Reuters
Beijing, August 29: Usain Bolt secured a sweep of the sprint golds at a World Championships for the third time when he helped Jamaica’s relay team to a fourth successive 4×100 metres title Saturday.
The 29-year-old, who had already won the 100 and 200 metres events, ran the anchor leg as the Jamaicans took gold in 37.36 seconds at the Bird’s Nest Stadium.
The United States team featuring Justin Gatlin, who won silver behind Bolt in both individual sprints, botched their final handover but crossed the line second in 37.77 with the bronze going to hosts China in 38.01.
It was a record-extending 11th world gold for Bolt, who also won three sprint titles at the 2009 and 2013 World Championships.
His team mates Nesta Carter, Asafa Powell and Nickel Ashmeade helped extend Jamaica’s dominance of the sprint relay to a sixth straight major global championships, including the last two Olympics.
Jamaican ladies, anchored by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, clocked the second fastest time in history to retain their 4×100 meters relay title Saturday.
Veronica Campbell-Brown, Natasha Morrison and 200 meters silver medallist Elaine Thompson ensured Fraser-Pryce had a good lead when she took the baton and the 100 meters champion stormed across the line in 41.07 seconds.
The United States finished second in 41.68 with the early pace of the Jamaicans giving anchor Allyson Felix, the 400 meters champion in Beijing, no chance of catching Fraser-Pryce.
Trinidad and Tobago won the bronze in a national record of 42.03 ahead of Britain, whose 42.10 was also the best time ever run by the nation’s top women sprinters.
Only the 40.82 recorded by the Americans to win gold at the 2012 London Olympics was faster than Saturday’s winning time.
Marina Arzamasova of Belarus outsprinted defending champion Eunice Sum down the home straight to win gold in the women’s 800 metres Saturday.
Canada’s Melissa Bishop stayed with the leading pair on the last 100 metres and got just in front of Sum at the line to claim silver in 1.58.12.
Moving to field event, American Ashton Eaton retained the decathlon world title Saturday and broke his own world record with a score of 9,045 points.