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Report12 Aug 2005


Event Report - Men 4x100m Relay Heats

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The first race in more than three days contested on a dry track found disaster striking the US men’s 4x100 relay.  The Americans’ first handoff—from Mardy Scales to Leonard Scott—failed to connect and the certain medal-contending US team took a stumble. 

The video replays seemed to indicate that Scott had taken the baton from Scales without incident, but that Scales failed to release the stick within a reasonable time.   Scott sensed a problem and let go from his end, and the baton went tumbling to the ground. 

Meanwhile, Lueyi Dovi directed the French team to a world-leading 38.34 victory.  The Australian team, anchored by Matt Shirvington, was in second at the last exchange, but Michael Frater (JAM) and Marius Broening (GER) led their quartets past the muscular Shirvington just before the finish to take the next two auto-qualifying spots in 38.37 and 38.58, respectively. 

The Polish team, running in the second heat, suffered the same ignominy as the Americans when their second handoff went awry as Marcin Jedrusinski suffered a hamstring pull metres before the exchange with Marcin Nowak. 

The British squad, with Mark Lewis-Francis in the final position, came off the curve in the lead, but Darrel Brown brought his Trinidad and Tobago relay across the line first in yet another world-leading time of 38.28. 

The team from Great Britain was second in 38.32, ahead of the Japanese team with 38.46. 

Despite slipping back two places at the end, the Australian team advanced to the final with their 38.65 time, as did the Netherlands Antilles relay in 38.60.

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