The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
GB team look to build on gold
Great Britain’s victorious men’s 4x100 metres relay runners are hoping to build on their success at future major tournaments after taking gold at the World Championships in London on Saturday night.
The British quartet of CJ Ujah, Adam Gemili, Danny Talbot and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake produced a stunning world-leading time of 37.47 seconds to edge out the United States and Japan after Usain Bolt had pulled up on his anchor leg for Jamaica.
Last man Mitchell-Blake took the baton in the lead ahead of American Christian Coleman and held off the individual 100m silver medallist to clinch Britain’s second gold medal of the tournament.
“Not only was it a victory, it was a European record and British record in front of our home fans,” Ujah, who ran a superb first leg, told BBC 5 Live’s Sportsweek.
“Maybe next year we can go and get the Commonwealth or European title and build on it for Tokyo 2020.
“I just wanted to give the guys a good lead and help them win a medal. We all put in a good shift, a good leg, and I’m proud of these guys. Each one ran a superb leg and we came out with a victory.”
Mitchell-Blake added: “It really hasn’t sunk in yet. We keep telling ourselves we’re world champions and saying ‘did we really do that?’ But we always had the belief we could do something special and it came to fruition.”
Gemili, controversially overlooked for selection in the individual 200m, said: “It’s a dream come true really.
“I don’t actually believe it’s happened. Last night I didn’t want to go to sleep in case I woke up and it was all a dream.
“But it’s reality and it’s something we’ve been working towards and every athlete in the squad wants to become world champion and be the best in the world and for us four lucky guys it’s actually happened. I feel great.”
While Britain celebrated, though, there were contrasting emotions for Bolt in the final race of his career.
The 30-year-old pulled up on the home straight, hobbling for a few strides before falling to the track.
His team-mates gathered round him and the 19-time global champion was helped to his feet and limped over the line, applauding the crowd as he did so.
The victory made it a night of double relay delight for the hosts as the women’s team of Asha Philip, Desiree Henry, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita won silver in 42.12 seconds behind USA, who claimed gold in a world-leading 41.82.
Asher-Smith finished fourth over 200m, but silver in a season which has included a lengthy injury lay-off as she recovered from a badly-broken foot was some reward.
“I think I’m still in a dream phase, because I didn’t even know if I was going to be here,” she said.
“To transform that to winning a world silver, which is the highest medal we have ever won, is absolutely incredible.”