Brazil stuns US at IAAF World Relays

(From left): Jorge Vides, Paulo Andre, Camilo de Oliveira, Rodrigo do Nascimento and Derick Silva of Brazil celebrate their win

REUTERS - Paulo Andre Camilo de Oliveira powered Brazil to victory in the Men’s 4x100m event at the IAAF World Relays in Yokohama, Japan, yesterday as they finished ahead of a strong United States (US) quartet and World Champions Britain.

Brazil clocked 38.05 seconds, 0.02 seconds ahead of US, who had Justin Gatlin in their ranks, in what was the smallest ever margin of victory in the competition.

Two hundredths of a second also separated the top two teams in the Women’s 4x100m event, with the US edging out Jamaica to qualify for the World Championships in Doha, Qatar later this year.

The US Men went slower in the 4x200m final than they did in the heats earlier on Sunday, but still proved too good for their rivals to finish first in one minute and 20.12s on a cold evening at the Yokohama International Stadium.

Poor baton exchanges cost pre-meeting favourites US and Jamaica in the Women’s 4x200m, allowing France to claim victory in one minute and 32.16s with China finishing second while setting an Asian record of 1:32.76s. 

Machel Cedenio helped Trinidad and Tobago win the Men’s 4x400m event in 3:00.81s, narrowly in front of the US who were later disqualified. Jamaica were elevated to second.
European champion Justyna Swiety-Ersetic steered Poland to a surprise win in the Women’s race ahead of the US, who missed the chance to make it four victories in the 4x400m event in as many editions of the World Relays.

The team of My’Lik Kerley, Joanna Atkins, Jasmine Blocker and Dontavius Wright gave the US victory in the Mixed 4x400m race, finishing ahead of Canada and Kenya. The US finished on top of the overall standings with 54 points. Jamaica were behind them with 27, the same as Japan.