Sanya Richards of the United States storms down the home straight to take the gold medal in the women's 4x400m Relay at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in the Berlin Olympic Stadium (© Getty Images)
The United States made sure no guess work was needed for the winner of the women’s 4x400 Metres Relay. Jamaican born Debbie Dunn started quick in the first leg giving an early lead which was stretched surprisingly big in the first exchange.
Rosemarie Whyte of Jamaica followed with Russian Anastasiya Kapachinskaya coming to the exchange just before the Jamaican with other teams way back already at this stage. Allyson Felix continued completed a fabulous second leg with USA extending it’s lead before the second exchange. Jamaica and Russia were battling side to side in the home straight with Tatyana Firova beating Novlene Williams-Mills to the exchange. Great Britain was in fourth place with two leg of the relay completed.
Lashinda Demus, the silver medallist in the 400m Hurdles here, went out really fast in the third leg, too fast in fact as she faded badly in the home straight still clocking 50.10 for her leg, Russia’s Lyudmila Litvinova brought her team to the last exchange in second place with Jamaica’s Shereefa Lloyd close behind.
Sanya Richards anchored USA well accelerating quickly in the first curve after Demus had lost a lot of ground on the Russians and Jamaicans. The 400m World champion clocked 48.43 for the anchor leg and another gold medal for the American in 3:17.83, naturally a world leading time for the 2009 season. Shericka Williams of Jamaica had a really ace on her sleeve as she stormed past 400m bronze medallist Antonina Krivoshapka during the final leg to capture a silver medal for Jamaica with the Russian unable to answer. Jamaicans were timed a 3:21.15 season’s best with Russia clocked 3.21.64, another SB. Great Britain kept their fourth place until the end with Nicola Sanders crossing the line in 3:25.16 SB and Germany took fifth place in 3:27.61.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
