By Clayton Clarke

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: (Sunday, August, 21): Bahamas’ men’s 4x400m team gave a valiant fight to hold on to their Olympic title but had to settle for third. In the finals held on the penultimate day of Athletics last night, the quartet of Alonzo Russell, Michael Mathieu, Stephen Gardiner and Chris Brown clocked 2:58.49 to take bronze behind the USA (2:57.30) and Jamaica (2:58.16).
Russell ran the opening leg (45.3) to hand over the baton to Mathieu in third behind Botswana (44.8) and the USA (45.3). Jamaica was fourth quickest (45.5). Mathieu fought along the back stretch but fell back to fifth (45.1) at the second exchange to Gardiner. The USA well ahead with a sparking 43.2 leg by Tony McQuay. Botswana was still in second with a 43.9 split with Nathon Allen (44.0) taking Jamaica up to third and Jonathan Borlee (44.1) moving Belgium from last place to fourth.

Gardiner ran the fastest split (43.79) for Team Bahamas, finishing strongly to hand the baton to Brown in second. The national record holder closed the gap on the leaders USA and second place Botswana.  Brown was briefly in fourth as Javon Francis of Jamaica edged pass him on the final bend but the veteran sprinter found another gear and pressed Francis as the two ran ahead of Botswana’s anchor leg runner.  LaShawn Merritt continue the lead and took the American in victory with a 43.9 split. Francis (43.78) ensured silver for Jamaica while Brown (44.20) taking Bahamas to third just ahead of a fast finishing Belgium’s Kevin Borlee (43.67) in fourth. Botswana was fifth.  

The bronze medal is the fourth medal for Bahamas at the Olympics in the event after gold in 2012, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2000.  Brown has been a member of each team. He became the oldest medalist in the event at 37 years eclipsing the record he set four years. He also has competed in five 4X400m finals (2000-2016).

Mathieu won his third medal (silver-2008, gold-2012 and bronze-2016).

Men’s 4x400m Finals-Splits

First leg- Makwala (BOT)/44.8, Hall (USA)/45.3, Russell (BAH)/45.3, Matthews (JAM)/45.5, De Oliveira (BRA)/45.5, Collazo (CUB)/45.8, Krawczuk (POL)/45.9, Watrin (BEL)/46.0

Second leg-McQuay (USA)/43.2, Sibanda (BOT)/ 43.9, Allen (JAM)/44.0, J Borlee (BEL)/44.1, Chacon (CUB)/44.7, Pietrak (POL)/44.9, Mathieu (BAH) 45.1, Russo (BRA)45.4

Third leg-Gardiner (BAH)/43.79, D Borlee (BEL)/44.71, Roberts (USA)/44.79, Dunkley (JAM)/44.82, Krzewina (POL) & Nkobolo (BOT/ 44.94, Pellicier (CUB)/45.33, dos Santos (BRA)/46.18

Fourth leg-Lescay (CUB) 43.60, K Borlee (BEL)/43.67, Francis (JAM)/43.78, Merritt (USA)/43.97, Brown (BAH)/44.20, Omelko (POL)/44.59, Maotoanong (BOT)/45.28, de Sousa (BRA)/46.10

Splits for Bahamas from in the heats

Russell/45.2, Brown/44.6, Gardiner/44.90, Stephen Newbold/44.83

 
Day Eight

Medal Standings
USA 31 (13 gold, 10 silver, 8 bronze)
2nd Jamaica 11(6, 3, 2)
3rd Kenya 12 (5, 6, 1)

14th Bahamas 1 (1 gold, 1 bronze)
Gold-Shaunae Miller-women’s 400m
Bronze-men’s 4x400m
24th Grenada 1(1 silver)
Silver-Kirani James-men’s 400m
35th-Trinidad and Tobago 1 (1 bronze)
Bronze-Keshorn Walcott

Points Standings
(Based on top eight finishes)
3rd Jamaica-106 points
15th-Trinidad and Tobago-13 points

22nd- Bahamas 13 points
Gold-Shaunae Miller-women’s 400m
Bronze-men’s 4x400m
Sixth-Pedrya Seymour-women’s 100m hurdles
Seventh-Donald Thomas-men’s high jump

38th-Grenada-9 points
61st-St. Lucia-3 points
65th-Guyana-2 points

RESULTS

Men’s 4x400m Finals
2nd-JAM (Matthews, Allen, Dunkley, Francis) 2:58.16 SB
3rd-BAH (Russell, Mathieu, Gardiner, Brown) 2:58.49 SB