Over the past few years, the men’s 4x100 meter relay has always been the United State’s to win or lose. Other teams depended on USA making a mistake to have any chance of challenging for the gold.
Famously, the USA relay team of 2004 did indeed make a blunder, paving the way for a Great British victory.
In 2008, USA will be out to atone for their shock loss of four years ago. However, this time they will not go in as hot favourites. Let’s take a look at the 4x100 meter USA team for Beijing and which teams will be challenging them for gold.
The two main contenders (Possible starters in brackets)
USA (Tyson Gay, Walter Dix, Darvis Patton, Travis Padgett) – The USA again enters the Olympic Games with a very strong relay team on paper, however their fortunes in Beijing will depend on how the team works together and is able to conduct their changeovers.
Unfortunately, Gay’s injury and the decision of Dix to remain training in the US has meant that the nation’s four fastest runners have been unable to compete together in any warm up meets before the Olympics begin. Despite this, the USA should comfortably be capable of earning at least a silver medal in Beijing, however it wouldn’t be a shock to see them lose out on the gold again this year.
Jamaica (Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Michael Frater, Nesta Carter) – The reason that the USA are not hot favourites for the gold medal this time around is the emergence of these Jamaican sprinters.
With the fastest two men in history on their squad, along with a former world silver medallist in Michael Frater and the up and coming star Nesta Carter, Jamaica may even enter the final of the men’s 4x100 meter relay in Beijing as favourites for the gold medal.
If they can improve their baton exchanges from last year’s performance at the World Championships, expect to see Jamaica running alongside the USA down the final straight and perhaps taking the gold.
Could pull off an upset
Trinidad and Tobago (Richard Thompson, Darrel Brown, Marc Burns, Aaron Armstrong) – With three sub-10 second runners who all seem to be in top form leading up to the Olympics, Trinidad and Tobago have assembled their fastest ever team. This was made clear last week when the squad came home with a national record in an Olympic warm up.
If the teams from the US and Jamaica don’t have a clean run throughout the final, Trinidad and Tobago are capable of taking advantage and creating a major upset. If not, look for them to fight it out for the bronze medal.
Great Britain (Simeon Williamson, Craig Pickering, Tyrone Edgar, Marlon Devonish) –
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