By Mitch Phillips
EUGENE, Ore. (Reuters) – The United States, the global superpower of the men’s 4×400 metres relay, moved impressively into the World Championships final on Saturday after their shadow squad came home miles clear in the first of two semi-finals.
The United States have won seven of the past eight world titles and eight of the past 10 Olympic golds as they have avoided the baton mishaps that have so often dogged the sprint relay team.
Elija Godwin, Veron Norwood, Bryce Deadmon and Trevor Bassitt clocked two minutes, 58.96 seconds and they have newly-crowned individual champion Michael Norman and Champion Allison, fourth in the final, to come in to the team for Sunday’s final.
Yuki Nakajima ran a storming last leg to force his way past Trinidad and Tobago and then Jamaica to snatch second in that heat – though all three went through. Japan have never won a medal in the event at World Championships or Olympics.
Belgium, featuring the evergreen Borlee brothers Dylan and Kevin, won the second semi, with the Czech Republic, Poland and France also advancing.
Botswana, Olympic bronze medallists last year, were leading the second semi coming into the second changeover but dropped the baton to end their hopes.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Peter Rutherford)
