By Vijay, TrackAlerts.com writer
Jamaica put their stamp on the inaugural IAAF World Relays with a world record run in the men’s 4x200m here in Nassau, Bahamas.
The quartet of Nicekl Ashmeade, Warren Weir, Jermaine Brown and Yohan Blake combined for 1:18.63 to beat the previous world record mark of 1:18:68, set by an all-American quartet in 1994. The team will collect the first prize of US$50,000 and also a World record bonus of US$50,000.
St. Kitts and Nevis produced a national record 1:20.51 to pocket the silver medal. The quartet of Antoine Adams, Lestrod Roland, Brijesh Lawrence and Allistar Clarke was very impressive to finish ahead of France 1:20.66. USA team was disqualified.
Earlier, Jamaica were the easy winners of the first heat in 1:20.14, running Rasheed Dwyer, Brown, Jason Livermore and Weir, with France next (1:21.45) and St. Kitts and Nevis (1:21.97) third.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s second medal of the night came in the women’s 4x100m final. The team, without Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, was affected by a bad final exchange, which allowed USA to race away unchallenged to win in 41.88.
Jamaica with Carrie Russell, Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert and Smanatha Henry-Robinson, finished second in 42.28.
Trinidad & Tobago with Kamaria Durant, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Reyare Thomas and Kai Selvon pocketed bronze in 42.66secs.
Both Jamaica and USA ran 42.29 in their respective heats.
Jamaica will be the lone Caribbean team in the women’s 1600m relay final on Sunday’s final day. In the prelims, Jamaica finished second in 3:24.95 behind USA 3:23.84.
Trinidad & Tobago 3:30.91 and Bahamas 3:54.65 failed to make the final eight.
In the men’s 1600m relay, Bahamas with Demetrius Pindar, Ramon Miller, Chris Brown and Michael Mathieu recorded the fastest prelim time of 3:00.38, and along with Jamaica 3:01.17 and USA 3:01.09, a great final is expected on Sunday’s final day.
Kenya won the men’s 4x800m in 7:08.40 and women's 4x1500m in 16:33.58.
