What the US men’s 4×100 relay quartet could not do, their women’s counterpart did. After yesterday’s goof-up in baton changing, it was a kind of balm applied on the wounds of the entire US camp as their women relay squad, anchored by the diminutive 100metre champion Lauryn Williams, claimed the gold here at the world championships
The US clocked 41.78 to become the world leaders this year. Jamaica finished second for silver at 41.99 while Belarus claimed the bronze at 42.56.
Earlier, Tirunesh Dibaba kept her last week’s promise of going for the double after she had won the 10,000m final. Tonight, she not only ensured that but proved how the Ethiopian runners take it as a team work when it comes to winning medals. The African nation finished 1-2-3-4 with Tirunesh’s elder sister Ejegayehu winning the bronze while silver was taken by Meseret Defar.
In women’s shot put, Belarusian Nadezhda Ostapchuk heaved the iron to 20.51 metres for the gold while Russian Olga Rybinkina (19.64) won the silver and Valerie Vili of New Zealand gave her country the first medal at the championship with a bronze effort of 19.62.