Christian Coleman reacts after finishing second in the men's 4x100-meter final at the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on Aug. 12, 2017 in London
In one of the most anticipated races of the IAAF World Championships, the men’s 4x100-meter, the United States won silver, Great Britain won gold in a major upset on home soil and Jamaica did not finish after eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt pulled up hurt in his last race ever.
Nathaneel Mitchell-Blake of Great Britain edged Christian Coleman down the stretch to run the fastest time in the world this year in the event at 37.47 seconds, a new British record. The U.S. finished in 37.52 seconds, a season-best for Team USA in the event, while Japan finished third in 38.04.
The U.S team consisted of Mike Rodgers, 100-meter world champion Justin Gatlin, Jaylen Bacon and Coleman.
The only time Bolt had previously lost in a 4x100-meter championship final was 2007, his rookie year, when the U.S. won gold. Jamaica had won every year since 2008 up until Saturday, when Bolt pulled up with a left leg injury in the last 100 meters he would ever run.
Since that gold medal in 2007, the U.S. men had only won one other medal in the event, a silver in 2013.
The U.S. won the first heat in the event in London with a time of 37.70, which was then a world-leading time before Saturday’s blazingly fast final.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
