Relay men shine with silver

They were denied by France (38.08) of the gold by two-hundredths of a second in what has been described as the closest finish in a relay final of the championships which started in 1983.

France’s newly-crowned 110-metre hurdles champion Ladj Doucoure made a fantastic start in the lead-off leg and his exchange with world 100-metre finalist Ronald Pognon who opened up a big lead for the next exchange which was smooth with Eddy De Lepine.

Athens Olympics champion relay team Great Britain were off to a similar flier with 100-metre finalist Jason Gardener the quickest around the first curve to Marlon Devonish.

For TT, Pierre struggled to understand the starter’s command and he moved out of the blocks very late and almost stood which prompted a re-start. He received a warning which had him sweating more than usual.

Burns received the baton at almost the top of the 20-metre exchange zone and motored up the back stretch like a man possessed. He narrowed the gap to about seven metres on the others who had a big statistical and psychological advantage.

The exchange with Jacey Harper was efficient and TT got back into the reckoning at the crucial third exchange zone where Caribbean and Central American (CAC) champion Brown was waiting for the stick.

Having experienced a slight mix-up with the exchange in the semi-finals on Friday, Brown, the world junior record holder and probably the fastest anchorman in the world today, waited a little longer than he should and the exchange was not precise and automatic.

After the terrible mishap with the USA team in the "semis" when they botched the first leg exchange and did not advance to the final to defend their title, Brown probably decided to ensure that he held on to the baton before heading for the finish line.

The 20-year-old accelerated in hot pursuit of France’s anchor Luehi Dovy who enjoyed about a four-metre lead as he sped to the finish line.

Brown ran a fantastic final leg but was just unable to pip Dovy at the line in the tightest finish ever witnessed at the biennial global championships.

In the absence of the much-vaunted Americans, the Frenchmen celebrated an historic victory, becoming the second team to capture the men sprint relay gold in the new world best time of 30.08.

Without the services of the experienced and speedy Aaron Armstrong, who sustained a groin injury in his 200 metres quarter-final race, the CAC champion team recorded their best-ever relay performance at the world championships.

The Pierre-Burns-Harper-Brown foursome lowered the national record for the fifth time of the year after holding the world leading position on three occasions.

Great Britain’s anchorman Mark Francis-Lewis barely held off the fast finishing Jamaican world 100-metre silver medallist Michael Frater who gave Jamaica their best of 38.28. The Englishmen also recorded their best of 38.27 secs.

TT’s 4x400 metres relay quartet of Ato Modibo, Julien Raeburn, Renny Quow and Damion Barry clocked three minutes 01.91 seconds and finished to the USA team of Mills Smith, Derrick Drew, LaShawn Merritt and Darold Williamson in Heat Two. World champion quarter-miler Jeremy Wariner and silver medallist Andrew Rock will strengthen the defending American team for the final which will bring the curtain down on this year’s championships.