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By LetsRun.com
August 5, 2021
TOKYO —Regardless of having 10 of the 17 quickest males on the planet this 12 months within the males’s 100 this 12 months, the US missed the ultimate within the 4×1, ending sixth within the second warmth. This time, they weren’t disqualified or a DNF (as was the case within the earlier three Olympics), however they merely had one very poor trade and didn’t have their finest anchor on the monitor. The US males haven’t medalled within the occasion on the Olympics since 2004 and haven’t gained gold since 2000. This was the first time in the past 41 global track championships that the US males haven’t both medalled or been disqualified/DNF’d on this occasion.
The group of Trayvon Bromell, Fred Kerley, Ronnie Baker, and Cravon Gillespie (in that order) ran 38.10, shedding to the likes of Germany and Ghana of their warmth. Bromell’s leg and handoff to Kerley have been serviceable, however Kerley appeared to readjust the baton midway down the again straight, and his handoff to Baker was horrible. Kerley ran up on Baker and needed to decelerate, and by the point Baker bought the baton to Gillespie, the group was in fifth or sixth. Gillespie bought out rapidly and moved into third however pale badly, chased down by Germany, Ghana, and Canada. The very best US group would probably embrace 200-meter medalists Kenny Bednarek or Noah Lyles somewhat than Gillespie however that’s no excuse when the total US Olympic 100-meter group, which consists of two finalists and the world chief, are within the race. Plus placing Bednarek or Lyles on the the group would have been dangerous as Bednarek advised us after the 200 closing that he hadn’t practiced for the relay however wished to run within the closing.
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South Africa, that includes 100 fourth-placer Akani Simbine, additionally missed the ultimate after dropping the baton on the first trade.
Two-time reigning Olympic champions Jamaica had the quickest time of the prelims, working 37.82 to win warmth one. China gained warmth two with 37.92, beating Andre De Grasse and Canada by two thousandths of a second.
Fast Take: One other 12 months, one other relay catastrophe for the US males
Of the six quickest males on the planet this 12 months at 100 meters, half of them have been on the US 4×100 squad right now: Bromell, Kerley, and Baker. Gillespie was ranked seventeenth. But as soon as once more, Workforce USA will probably be going away from the Olympics empty-handed. Should you broaden the US’s efficiency to incorporate World Championships, their historical past is marginally higher, however nonetheless properly wanting what you’d anticipate from a sprinting powerhouse. Right here is how the US males have fared because the 2008 Olympics:
2008 Olympics: DNF closing
2009 Worlds: DQ’d in prelims
2011 Worlds: DNF closing
2012 Olympics: DQ’d in closing
2013 Worlds: Silver behind Jamaica
2015 Worlds: DQ’d in closing
2016 Olympics: DQ’d in closing
2017 Worlds: Silver behind Nice Britain
2019 Worlds: Gold
2021 Olympics: sixth in warmth, didn’t qualify for closing
In order that’s 4 DQs, two DNFs, one DNQ, and three medals from 10 races. And solely two of these medals might be categorised as a hit. There’s no disgrace in shedding to a Bolt-led Jamaica group, and the US 4×100 in 2019 set a nationwide file. However shedding to Nice Britain in 2017 after going 1-2 within the particular person 100 isn’t good.
This kind of ineptitude has turn into anticipated by the US 4×100, nevertheless it doesn’t make it any much less galling. The US males haven’t even completed the Olympic 4×100 closing with out being disqualified since 2004.
Fast Take: The People have been at a loss to elucidate what occurred, nevertheless it’s clear they didn’t follow with one another a lot
Speculating as to why the US relay squad underperforms has turn into a quadrennial parlor sport. The person athletes deserve some blame, however when this occurs again and again, clearly bigger points are at play. The composition of the squad was wonderful for a prelim — truly, it was surprisingly sturdy for a prelim. Nevertheless it was puzzling to see Baker — a quick starter who has not run a 200 since April 2018 — working the curve on leg three in addition to Gillespie, the weakest of the 4 athletes, on the anchor leg.
Bromell didn’t cease to speak within the blended zone, however did converse to Lewis Johnson on NBC. He stated, “I’m actually form of mad, not at these guys, they did what they’ll do. I did what I can do. Actually, I can solely converse for myself and that is [inaudible]. These guys did their job. I did what I may do on the primary leg simply, there’s actually some BS to be sincere with you.”
The opposite three members of Workforce USA stopped within the blended zone. Kerley stated the group had no excuses.
“We simply ain’t get the job finished right now, that’s all,” Kerley stated.
Baker was extra expansive. He put ahead the idea that it was troublesome to sync up handoffs between himself and Kerley as a result of they have been so quick.
“I imply shoot, Fred’s run 9.8 this 12 months,” Baker stated. “I’ve run 9.8. So actually simply making an attempt to time that up completely with a pair practices, it’s a bit troublesome.”
The ultimate remark is most telling. When requested how a lot the relay group had practiced, Baker stated, “not a lot.” “Not sufficient” is what Gillespie answered, noting that different international locations’ relay squads are sometimes locked in months upfront however the US’s isn’t because of the nature of the Olympic Trials. In the meantime Kenny Bednarek, who was 4th within the 100 on the Trials and 2nd within the 200 in Tokyo, stated that as of final night time he didn’t even know whether or not he can be working the relay. And Workforce USA didn’t have a pre-Olympic training camp both.
Fast Take: Carl Lewis ripped USATF management and known as Workforce USA “worse than AAU children” right now
Lewis was a part of Olympic champion 4×100 groups in 1984 and 1992 and now coaches on the College of Houston, serving to the Cougars to NCAA 4×100 titles in 2017 and 2018. He was not joyful.
The USA group did every thing fallacious within the males’s relay. The passing system is fallacious, athletes working the fallacious legs, and it was clear that there was no management. It was a complete embarrassment, and fully unacceptable for a USA group to look worse than the AAU children I noticed .
— Carl Lewis (@Carl_Lewis) August 5, 2021
Right here’s our proposal. Make Carl Lewis the relay coach for 2022, 23 and 2024.
This additionally appeared in our Recap of Thursday’s morning action from Tokyo. For all of our Tokyo action click here.
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