BARBADOS HAVE beaten the odds to get an automatic spot in the IAAF World Championships later this year in the men’s 4×100 metres relay.
Qualifying with the slowest time for the final at the IAAF/BTC World Relays tonight in The Bahamas, Barbados finished second in 39.18 seconds behind the United States who clocked 38.43 seconds.
China were third in 39.22.
Pre-race favourites Canada, Great Britain and The Netherlands did not finish the race, bumping up the top three teams from the “B” final in Trinidad and Tobago (39.04), Germany (39.15) and The Bahamas (39.18).
All eyes were on the United States and Canada after the heats where Andre De Grasse nipped American Justin Gatlin on the line.
But there was a mix-up on the second exchange and Canada were nowhere to be seen in the final stretch.
Coming off the turn, it was the United States, China, Britain and Barbados in the mix. Britain messed up their exchange and Barbadian anchor Burkheart Ellis Jr passed the Chinese team to take second spot.
Barbados ran an unchanged side in Mario Burke, Ramon Gittens and Nicholas Deshong on the first three legs, again running out of lane eight. CARIFTA Games silver medallist Jaquone Hoyte was the other team member.
They have earned US$30 000 with the finish and given Barbadians one more reason to tune in to the World Championships in London from August 4 to 13. (SAT)
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