2011 World Track and Field Championships: Crunch Time for USA 4x100 Relays

"We have met the enemy, and he is us."  -Pogo

American track fans—though they may not like it—can handle a good old-fashioned beating.

What they won't tolerate is a beating of the self-inflicted variety.

That's why this weekend's 4x100m relays (heats and finals) will come under the most intense scrutiny by American eyes in recent history.

In the last decade, both the men's and women's USA short relay teams have typically been their own worst enemy, through dropped batons or exchange-zone violations. To add insult to injury, the blunders have occurred under the world's brightest lights (Olympics and Worlds).

Then, to rub salt into those wounds, more often than not, the beneficiary of those blunders has been America's strongest sprint rival, Jamaica.

The problem has generally been identified as throwing the four fastest runners together, expecting the fastest possible relay team.

Not necessarily a correct assumption.

And on more than one occasion, relay teams have been hastily assembled minutes before a race.

Sometime in the recent past—possibly due to a complacency created by past US dominance—the relays have become almost an afterthought.

With that in mind, the USATF (USA track's governing body) wisely called on former Olympic gold medal sprinter and relay specialist, Jon Drummond, to specifically focus on the relays—and to get it right.

A team-first mentality, good chemistry, utilizing natural individual strengths (to run the curve or the straight, good starter, good finisher) and a consistent exchange technique are the foundation blocks of Drummond's philosophy.

Oh—and did I mention practice? The relay pool met weeks before the World Championships in a relay camp to smooth out all the rough edges. With the help of former Olympic gold medalist hurdler Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, Drummond pre-established various team options, considering every possible contingency.This time, there will be no last-minute mix-and-match teams sent to the track.

And just who will comprise our 4x100m relay teams? Here are the pools:

Men's 4x100m:

Walter Dix, Justin Gatlin, Trell Kimmons, Doc Patton, Ivory Williams and Travis Padgett.

Heats: Sunday, September 4, 6:00 am (Eastern)

Finals: Sunday September 4, 8:00 am

 

Women's 4x100:

Carmelita Jeter, Marshevet Myers, Miki Barber, LaShaunte'a Moore, Alexandria Anderson and Bianca Knight. Allyson Felix may also be available.

Heats: Sunday, September 4, 5:30 am

Finals: Sunday, September 4, 7:35 am

The actual team makeup will not be disclosed until race time.

Considering the recent past, a podium finish will be considered a success. It will, after all, indicate that the US teams were successful in finally getting the stick around the track.

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