Atletismo

Daegu, Korea - USA remain rock solid favourites to land a fourth successive gold medal in this event after heading the qualifiers for tomorrow evening’s final with a world leading mark.

While the US have not been quite as dominant in the individual 400m this season their pool of quarter-milers remains the envy of the world.

LaShawn Merritt, the silver medal winner in the 400m, anchored them to victory in 2:58.82. Jamaica - even minus their lead 400m runner Jermaine Gonzales - secured second in a season’s best 2:59.13 with South Africa helped by double amputee Oscar Pistorius setting a national record 2:59.21 to bank the third and final automatic slot. It was the first time in IAAF World Championships history that three teams in a heat had smashed through the three minute barrier.

Great Britain (3:00.38) for fourth and Germany (3:00.68) for fifth also both advanced as the two fastest losers.   

Pistorius served his country with distinction running the first leg and by the time they broke out of lanes at the beginning of the back straight on the second lap their second leg runner Ofentse Mogawane held a slight lead from the US followed by Jamaica.

After the second leg, though, the USA thanks to Jamaal Torrance and Jamaica courtesy of Riker Hylton had overhauled South Africa. Willem De Beer of South Africa ran a pugnacious third leg to replace Jamaica in second. However, the final leg saw Merritt power clear of his rivals down the home stretch while Jamaica hauled themselves back into second.  

The winning time in the second heat may have been slower than even the fifth placed team registered in the opening heat – but what it lost in pure speed it made up for in sheer drama as the leading teams exchanged position with regularity.

It was Belgium, though, anchored by Kevin Borlee, the World 400m bronze medallist, who grabbed the win in 3.00.71 – 0.10 ahead of Russia who took second. Kenya qualified for their first World Championships in this event for 16 years in third in 3:00.97.

There was surprisingly no place in the final for Bahamas – the 2001 gold medallists – who wound up fourth in 3:01.54 or Australia, the 2009 World bronze medallists, who were 0.02 back in fifth.

Maksim Dyldin gave the Russian’s a first leg lead with Belgium, Bahamas and Kenya in close contention when they broke at the beginning of the back straight after 500m.

However, after the second leg was complete it was Belgium who led thanks to Jonathan Borlee, the fifth place finisher in Tuesday’s individual 400m final, from Bahamas and Kenya.

Pavel Trenikhin produced a scintillating penultimate leg to power the Russians from fourth into first followed by Kenya, Bahamas with Belgium relegated to fourth.

Yet with Kevin Borlee on the final leg Belgium held all the aces and after biding his time he kicked past his rivals down the home straight to secure top spot.

Steve Landells for the IAAF

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