Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix

Rio Dream 1024x531 1 1024x531 1RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — United States qualified for the women’s 4x100m final at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Thursday, August 18.

The quartet of Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, English Gardner and Morolake Akinosun, was forced to re-run after finishing 8th earlier in the morning.

USA appealed stating their second leg runner, Felix, was impeded by the Brazilian runner. Brazil was later disqualified.

USA entered the re-run with 42.69 as their target to get into the final and they did 41.77.

Gardner, on the re-run, said:
“Honestly, I feel like it was just like a glorified practice. We just had fun out there. We were laughing and joking going in and staying light and that was the whole point.”

“Before we went out our coach said, ‘Its just like a practice; it’s just that the whole world is watching,” said Gardner.

On running by themselves:
“I feel like we ran pretty fast by ourselves. I don’t think anything was missing and we ran the fastest qualifier. We got a good opportunity and we seized it.”

Felix said, “It was different” to run alone.
“It was really weird but when we walked out and people were cheering for us, it uplifted us and encouraged us and we were really grateful. I am probably the last person who would want to be involved in anything like this (a phantom run),” she added.

Felix also said the extra run won’t have any negative impact going into the final.

“This is the 4x100m. If it was the 4x400m it would be a different story.”

USA will enter the final as the fastest qualifier ahead of Jamaica, 41.79 and Great Britain and Northern Ireland 41.93.

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Anthony Foster is a renowned Jamaican sports journalist, honored twice as the Jamaica sports journalist of the year (in 2004 and 2005). His journalistic achievements are globally recognized. Notably, he authored an award-winning article on Usain Bolt, the iconic 6-time Olympic champion, 11-time World champion, and record holder for the sprint double. This significant piece was published in the Jamaica Gleaner in 2004. Anthony's extensive coverage includes prestigious events such as the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016. He has also provided coverage for seven (7) World Athletics Championships held between 2007 and 2022, alongside various other international sporting events. Noteworthy mentions comprise his coverage of the 2007 World Cup of cricket and his cherished experience reporting on the 2004 clash between his favorite football team, Argentina, and the USA.

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