MOSCOW, Russia (Sporting Alert) — Usain Bolt said United States would have had to be 10-metres ahead on the final exchange to prevent his Jamaican team from winning the men’s 4x100m gold medal at the just concluded IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia.
Bolt, the triple world and Olympic gold medallists, made the comment after learning that American sprinter Mike Rodgers claimed that the U.S. poor baton exchange on anchor threw away the top podium position.
According to Rodgers, who ran a sizzling second leg for the Americans, “we would have won today (Sunday).
“I think we would have won, they (the Jamaicans) know it, I think we gave away a gold medal today.”
Justin Gatlin, who was overtaken by Bolt on the anchor leg, added, “I think it was a good race.
“I was more disappointed because the race could have been better. We could have gotten the Jamaicans. I stumbled a little bit,” said Gatlin, who was also pictured stepping into the lane of the Jamaicans.
However, Bolt, who has anchored Jamaica to three consecutive global championship gold medals, disagreed.
“They couldn’t have said that. They were like two metres in front of me,” the world record holder over 100m and 200m said.
“I’ve been in worse positions and won. They would have had to have 10 metres to have won.
“I wasn’t worried any at all about USA beating us, because I was confident in my team and I know if my guys didn’t bring it to me leading, it would be close.”
Usain Bolt owns the world record in the 100m at 9.58 seconds and the 200m at 19.19 seconds, with both times set at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany.
The Jamaican speedster says his target is to run a sub-19 seconds 200m before his career is over.
Leave a Reply