(Reuters) – The United States continued their dominance of the Olympic 4×400 metres relay yesterday but only just, as Rai Benjamin held off Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo in a thrilling last-leg battle between two individual gold medallists, as Britain took bronze.
The U.S. dropped Quincy Wilson, the 16-year-old who struggled badly in the heats, but did not bring in individual 400m champion Quincy Hall, instead adding 400m hurdles champion Benjamin to run the final leg.
Chris Bailey took them out but handed over in third to Vernon Norwood, who ran a stormer in the heats and repeated it in the final, to send Bryce Deadmon off in the lead.
Botswana’s Anthony Pesela, however, closed the gap to set up a dramatic finale.
Tebogo the 200m champion who was drafted in at the last minute to run the first leg for Botswana in the heats on Friday, sat on Benjamin’s shoulder and looked poised to pass him entering the final straight.
Benjamin’s one-lap speed endurance showed, however, as he held him off to win in an Olympic record two minutes 54:43.
Botswana, bronze medallists in Tokyo, took silver in an African record 2:54.53 with Britain taking bronze in a European record 2:55.83.
The race was of such high quality that fourth-place Belgium and fifth-placed South Africa set national records, and Japan in sixth set an Asian record.
It was a remarkable 19th gold in the event for the U.S., including at nine of the last 11 Games – in contrast to the sprint relay where they were disqualified again in Friday’s final and have not won the title since 2000.
“It feels amazing. Team USA have always had dominance over the 4×4 and we just wanted to keep it going,” Bailey said.
Benjamin was delighted after claiming his second gold in 24 hours. “I feel like this Olympic Games we were connected as a team, and we fed off each other’s energy,” he said
“Vernon, Bryce, Shamier (Little) and KK (Kaylyn Brown) set this off for us on the first day (in the mixed 4x400m relay) and they were just infectious after that.
“So, coming out here and believing in ourselves and trusting each other, that’s what makes this work, makes us so successful when it comes to these global championships.”
Britain are a distant second in the historical Olympic 4×400 standings as the only other nation to win it more than once – with two golds in 1920 and 1936 – and 12 medals in all, but their lead-off man Alex Haydock-Wilson said they had the U.S. in their sights.
“We were there fumbling about our feet, trying to figure out the sport. That all led to something, that was our learning process and that’s why this is one hell of a team,” said Haydock-Wilson, who was also in the team that took bronze behind the victorious U.S. in last year’s world championships.
