TOKYO (Reuters) -Botswana produced a brilliant performance to win the men’s world 4×400 metres relay in atrocious conditions on Sunday, edging out the United States and South Africa in a blanket finish to become the first African winners of the event.
As rain hammered down, the U.S – who had scraped into the final after beating Kenya in a run-off on Sunday morning – led the way at the final changeover.
However, Collen Kebinatshipi, the 21-year-old winner of the individual title, ran a fantastic leg to snatch gold in two minutes, 57.76 seconds.
The U.S., winners of nine of the last 10 world titles, changed all four athletes for the final from their morning runoff, and took silver from South Africa by two thousandths of a second after both being timed at 2:57.83.
The U.S. resumed normal service in the women’s final that followed on the drenched track with individual 400m champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone anchoring them to gold in 3.16.61.
The Americans finished the first lap neck-and-neck with the Jamaicans but Lynna Irby-Jackson ran a blistering second leg to give her team a comfortable lead that her last two teammates extended.
The Jamaicans held onto to second place in 3.19.25 despite the efforts of 400m hurdles gold medallist Femke Bol over the final leg for the Dutch defending champions, who finished third in 3.20.18.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips and Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Ed Osmond)
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