No place like home when it comes to sprint talent
Redemption for Zharnel as England get back on track
ENGLAND’S sprinters have become so dominant that even Usain Bolt is considering coming out of retirement to stop them.
The fastest man in history tweeted he might have retired too young after watching the quartet of Reuben Arthur, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey cruise to victory ahead of South Africa and Jamaica in a time of 38.13 seconds.
And according to Kilty that effort underlined England’s status as the top dogs in world sprinting, particularly when you consider they did this without a single member of the World Championshipwinning relay team from London last year.
The 28-year-old from Mid- dlesbrough said: “The depth that we’ve got. Last year me, Zharnel and Harry had a tough time around the London World Championships and it was absolutely amazing to see we’ve got a squad of 10, 11, 12 of us.
“It shows the depth, none of us were in that team but we’ve come out here and won the gold. We could have any order of those 10/11 people and you’ve got a class team that can challenge and beat any team in the world. We’re starting to mark our authority out here and it’s been absolutely amazing.
“In terms of depth, our top 10-12, we’re the best sprint nation in the world.”
Kilty’s victory is all the more special following a disastrous 2017 in which injury cost him a World Championships spot.
He added: “I got injured last year, I’ve had an Achilles injury for about a year now, I basically severed my finger and I had glandular fever. I thought after last season that if I didn’t die, I’d live forever.”
Kilty and co started the medal rush on the final day of action at Carrara Stadium, quickly followed by the women’s 4x100m relay taking gold.
And Laura Weightman then paced her race to perfection to take bronze in the women’s 5,000m behind Kenyan pair Hellen Obiri and Margaret Chelimo.
The 26-year-old from Alnwick looked off the pace initially, but instead she was keeping enough in the tank to finish strongly and take bronze, having won silver in the 1500m four years ago in Glasgow.
She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled. Standing on the start line I didn’t know what to expect from myself. I knew I was in great shape but it was one of those moments where you think to yourself, can I do this? Can I get a medal?
“I just couldn’t go two or three laps in when Hellen Obiri went to the front, I just wasn’t ready for that.
“I felt some of them had gone too hard. So for me it was about gauging my effort and building myself up into the race and the last couple of laps I sensed I was chasing a few girls down and realized I could get a medal.”