CHINA: Canada performed excellently in perfect sprinting conditions and dominated the mixed 4×100-metre relay final at the World Athletics Relays. The team easily defeated Jamaica and Britain to secure their first-ever gold medal at this event.
The country’s mixed 4×100-metre relay athletes impressed the crowd with an exceptional performance. First, they set the pace in the heats in Guangzhou, where the event was being held for the first time. The team returned to the track for the final with determination and energy, finishing in a season’s best time of 40.30 seconds and successfully claiming the inaugural mixed relay gold.
Athletes Sade McCreath, Marie-Eloise Leclair, and Duan Asemota ran strong, setting up runner Eliezer Adjibi to finish with committed speed in the final stretch. Their teamwork and strong individual performances proved that Canada not only deserved the win but also left Guangzhou with the fastest overall record after two days of competition.
With this, Asemota said: “I think this is a test and it shows how hard we work… We had been to the relay camp, we all sacrificed so many weeks of the year to get this relay right. We showed it on the track and with this medal. We did it.”
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In the same mixed 4×100-metre event, Jamaica came in second after Canada with a final time of 40.44 seconds. Great Britain and Northern Ireland then won third place, ahead of Australia, Italy, and France, with a time of 40.88 seconds.
In a social media post, World Athletics said: “Canada claims it 🤩 They storm to victory in the first ever mixed 4×100m relay final, clocking 40.30 🔥 Jamaica 🇯🇲 finish just behind in 40.44, with Great Britain & Northern Ireland 🇬🇧 clocking 40.88 for third 🔥”
Netizens expressed their support in the comments section and said: “Love seeing the Jamaican flag 🇯🇲 on any world stage 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲 🔥🔥🔥🔥”, and “This medal makes me smile…Good job, guys🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲”
Unfortunately, the United States missed the final after a baton exchange mishap in the heats.
In the mixed 4×400-metre event, the United States defended the title and set a championship record of 3:09.54, securing the win ahead of Australia and Kenya.
Moreover, Spain’s women’s 4×400-metre relay team surprised the world by winning against defending champions and Paris Olympic gold medallists, the United States, with a final time of 3:24.13. In the men’s 4×400-metre relay, South Africa delivered a standout performance by winning with a world-leading time of 2:57.50.