Chalmers’ bad luck denies Britain shot at World Cup silver
Hosts finish third after relay disqualification Coe outlines plans to look at creative changes
After two days of competition, the Athletics World Cup organisers had the kind of nail-biting scenario they had hoped for when formulating the idea for this new event.
While America had long secured overall victory, an unexpected triumph for the British women’s 4x100m team in the penultimate event last night meant the host nation was level on points with Poland in the battle for second place.
In the grand scheme of things there was not a huge deal at stake in a competition that put the emphasis on fun rather than final standings, but try telling that to the 20,000 people inside London’s Olympic Stadium. With Britain sitting fifth of the eight nations overnight, few had expected them to climb so high up the leaderboard. Cue calamity.
Moments before the gun was due to start the men’s 4x400m – the last of 34 events contested over these two days – Britain’s first-leg runner Cameron Chalmers realised he was unable to race. A problem he had attempted to pass off as cramp turned out to be a more serious hamstring injury and he had to hobble away.
Shorn of their full team, Britain were promptly disqualified and any hopes of coming second vanished. So much for the grandstand finish.
It would have been a climax befitting a competition that made up for its lack of big names with no shortage of excitement for 50,000 people over two days.
Areas of improvement are there for all to see – none more so than the need for a higher standard. With tickets costing up to £155, the men’s triple jump should not be won in 16.74m, and a time in excess of four minutes and seven seconds should not secure women’s 1500m gold. Next time, the world’s best must indeed be the world’s best.
UK Athletics, who organised this inaugural edition of the competition, are fully aware of this, and Seb Coe, IAAF president, was unequivocal in his support last night. “I’ve been very clear that I want new things to be tried,” he said. “They are not always going to work out from the word go but that can’t inhibit us. I don’t want the sport to just stop doing creative things.”
China have already expressed an interest in hosting a second edition in 2020, with the United States keen for 2022.
America’s unparalleled strength in depth meant the $450,000 (£340,000) prize money for first place had been decided long before the sun set, but there was plenty for the British crowd to cheer, in spite of the lack of household names.
Asha Philip, Imani Lansiquot, Bianca Williams and Shannon Hylton combined to provide Britain’s only victory of the second day in the women’s 4x100m to help the hosts finish third in the overall standings. In the absence of any individual winners, Britain’s Nick Miller (hammer), Adelle Tracey (800m) and Morgan Lake (high jump) all claimed silver.
Former world 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene bounced back from five injury-ravaged years to take bronze in the 400m hurdles, while unexpected national 200m champion Beth Dobbin did likewise on her international debut. “That was a bit of a blur,” said Dobbin, who juggles four jobs with her running career. “I had to pinch myself. It’s been like a dream come true.”