Jamaica and Bahamas have much to look forward to after both teams qualified for the men’s 4x400m relay finals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
The Jamaicans qualified from heat one which they won, represented by national record-holder Rusheen McDonald, Peter Matthews, Nathon Allen and National Champion, Javon Francis (44.77).
Francis ran an impressive anchor leg to pass the leading USA team on the homestretch for first.
The winning time was a season’s best 2:58:29. The USA came second in 2:58:38.
Botswana (2:59.35) who finished behind the Trinidadians, advanced due to a disqualification of the team from the twin island republic.
The team for Trinidad was represented by Jarrin Solomon, 2012 Olympics 400m bronze medallist, Lalonde Gordon, Deon Lendore and 2014 world U20 champion Machel Cedenio.
The two time qualifiers also came from heat one. They were Poland (2:59:58) and France (3:00:82 SB).
Chris Brown ran a very quick second leg to hand over first to the Bahamian record holder Steven Gardiner, helping the Bahamas to qualify from Heat 2. The team eventually placed second in 2:59:64 after the quartet from Great Britain, featuring former Jamaican high school standout, Delano Williams, was disqualified. The other members of the Bahamas team, were Alonzo Russell on first leg and Stephen Newbold on anchor.
Heat two was won by Belgium, with the three Borlee brothers in 2:59:25 and third went to Cuba in 3:00:16.
The finals of the men 4x400m will be the event to close the Athletics Program at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. It will start at 8:35pm Jamaican time.
