American women edge out Jamaica to win gold in 4x100 relay

Jamaica ruled the individual sprint events at the World Athletics Championships, but the U.S. got its revenge in the women’s 4x100 relay Saturday night.

The American team of Melissa Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and Twanisha Terry ran a world-leading time of 41.14 seconds to win gold over a loaded Jamaican all-star team on the penultimate day of the world meet at Hayward Field.

“It means everything to bring the gold back to America,” Prandini said during an on-track interview after the race.

“It just feels amazing,” Terry said. “I don’t really have any words to describe it.”

The Jamaicans swept the top three spots on the medal stand in the women’s 100 meters on Sunday and they went 1-2 in the 200 on Thursday, making them strong favorites to repeat as world champions in the 4x100.

Saturday’s final featured a heavily shuffled lineup, with the Jamaicans moving former Oregon sprinter Kemba Nelson from anchor to lead leg and subbing in the trio of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah, who finished 1-2-3 in the 100 meters. Jackson and Fraser-Pryce also won gold and silver in the 200.

The Americans, meanwhile, fielded largely the same team as they did in the semifinals, swapping University of Kentucky phenom Steiner for Aleia Hobbs on leg two but keeping everything else the same.

Jefferson got the U.S. off to a good start and Steiner ran a blazing-fast second leg of 9.86 seconds to give the Americans a slight lead going into the final curve. Former Duck Prandini ran a fast third leg and passed the baton off to Terry, who blasted down the home stretch and held off Jackson — the 200 gold medalist and 100 silver medalist — to clinch victory for the U.S.

“The victory lap was long, but I love everyone out there. They were really proud of what we did,” Jefferson said. “It was not expected of us today and I am glad we pulled it through. Our teammates and I have a lot of confidence in ourselves and I knew we would show the world what we are capable of.”

“The victory lap was amazing,” Terry said. “To be able to feel the energy from the crowd, to shake hands, sign autographs. It's just an amazing feeling. The race was electrifying. You heard the stadium. The stadium went crazy. We just brought it home.”

With Prandini earning a gold and Nelson getting a silver, the 4x100 represented the first medals of the world championships for former Oregon athletes who were competing back on home turf.

“It’s just really special to be able to do this at Hayward,” Prandini said.

“I am blessed,” Nelson said. “I tried to give my best in the first leg. Maybe it could have been better but (I’m) happy for the silver medal.”

American men earn silver

The American men nearly made it a clean sweep in the 4x100, but a slightly sloppy third exchange allowed Canada to steal the victory in a world-leading 37.48 seconds. The U.S. team came in at 37.55.

Canada trailed through the first 300 meters but Olympic gold medalist Andre de Grasse ran an 8.79-second anchor leg to edge Marvin Bracy of the U.S. at the finish line. The Americans took silver and Great Britain earned bronze in 37.83.

“It was definitely fun to go out there and represent the country,” Bracy said. “We have a few things to clean up, (some) changes. Mine was not very good and that may have cost us the race. Nonetheless, we got a medal, got the stick around. We will win next time.”

With 100-meter world champion Fred Kerley sidelined with a quad injury, the Americans turned to their next best sprinters in Bracy (second in the 100), Christian Coleman (sixth in the 100) and Noah Lyles, who set a new American record while winning a gold medal in the 200 meters Thursday.

It was all going well through the first three legs, but an awkward exchange between Elijah Hall and Bracy left a stumbling Hall on the ground and Bracy fighting to make up ground against de Grasse, the reigning Olympic champion in the 200 meters. De Grasse out-leaned Bracy at the line to win gold by 0.08 seconds.

“Of course we wanted gold. This is a really good team, but we didn't get to show our best ability,” Lyles said. “We still went out there and put it together. We won silver. I am actually pretty happy with that. It's not about gold every day. We got the stick around.”

“I feel blessed and humbled for the opportunity,” Coleman said. “Obviously, we wanted to win but we can’t win them all. We came home with the best we could. I am excited about that.”­

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: American women edge out Jamaica to win gold in 4x100 relay