With the 100m and 200m races over, track and field fans were eagerly waiting for the final sprinting event, and Usain Bolt’s swan song – the men’s 4x100m relay.
Team Jamaica has always been a fan favourite. After all, they’ve proven to be absolutely unstoppable in previous Olympic games. However, anything was possible. In the 200m dash, both Justin Gatlin and Yohan Blake, members of Team USA and Team Jamaica’s relay teams failed to make the finals.
At the last Olympic games in London, Team Canada’s relay team of Gavin Smellie, Oluseyie Smith, Jared Connaughton, and Justyn Warner finished third in the finals. They tasted victory for a few short moments, before hearing the heartbreaking news that Connaughton had stepped over the line, disqualifying them and costing the team their bronze medal. As a result, Team France’s Jimmy Vicaut, Christophe Lemaitre, Pierre-Alexis Pessonneaux, and Ronald Pognon were moved up to the bronze medal position. Team Jamaica broke a world record at these games.
Fast forward (pun intended) four years later, Usain Bolt was determined to work with his team to win yet another gold medal, and completing the triple-triple, three sprinting gold medals for three years in a row.
Right when the gun went off, all teams had an explosive start out of the blocks. Yohan Blake and Justin Gatlin both kept a steady, strong pace for the remaining runners. Andre De Grasse anchored the Canadian team, and Usain Bolt for the Jamaican team.
Bolt quickly built up a solid lead, finishing off the race first with a time of 37.27 seconds. This completed Usain Bolt’s triple-triple and wrapped up his Olympic career in the best way possible.
Aska Cambridge of Team Japan surged forward after the last exchange at an incredible speed, claiming the silver medal and finishing their run with a time of 37.60 seconds. Team USA finished in third with a time of 37.62.
However, Team USA was later disqualified from the the race for a baton pass made outside of the first exchange zone, moving Team Canada into the bronze slot, Canada’s first medal in the 4x100m relay in 20 years. The Canadian team ran a time of 37.64 seconds. After this race, De Grasse became the first Canadian to win a medal in all three sprinting events at a single Olympic games!
For those of you who missed the race, here it is!
https://twitter.com/CANOCBroadcast/status/766827647548559361
Here are some reactions:
The Jamaican 4x100m Relay Team
#JAM Usain Bolt completes the triple-triple. Dance the night away, boys https://t.co/JAoL0ve2RK https://t.co/UAVDUvMCgC
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 20, 2016
The Canadian 4x100m Relay Team
#CAN reacts to winning #Bronze after the #USA was disqualified in the 4x100m relay https://t.co/y6vqnPaSOr https://t.co/kxAYpYFA5Z
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 20, 2016
Usain Bolt
Olympics Record
Beijing 2008
100 ?
200 ?
4×100 ?London 2012
100 ?
200 ?
4×100 ?#Rio2016
100 ?
200 ?
4×100 ?#Gold— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) August 20, 2016
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